Reining Back

6^th February – Board 13: Game All. Dealer North.

Points aren’t everything and sometimes you have to rein back with an abundance of losers.

	North: S A K J 6 3 H Q 4 D A 10 7 C Q 9 5
West: S 9 H A J 10 3 D Q 8 5 2 C J 10 8 2		East: S 10 8 7 4 H K 8 6 2 D J 9 6 C K 6
	South: S Q 5 2 H 9 7 5 D K 4 3 C A 7 4 3

West	North	East	South
	1S	No	2S
End

South is right to raise spades at his first turn as we have seen so many times in these blogs and North should look beyond his sixteen high card points but focus instead on his 7+ loser hand. In any case what could he possibly bid? 2NT would show about eighteen points (because his partner might only have about five or six) and the flatness of the hand doesn’t warrant a trial bid. So 2S is the contract and very sensible too and even if East starts off with a potentially dangerous king of clubs lead there are still only nine tricks available. And 3NT clearly stands no chance on the obvious heart lead.