Nothing Good

29th January – Board 18. North/South Game. Dealer East.

In my experience nothing good ever comes from 7-2-2-2 hands. Even so South had to find the right lead to defeat the game on the hand shown below.

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

West	North	East	South
		3D	No
5D	End

It’s hard to fault that 3D opening even though the hand does possess the worse distribution known to man. Equally it is hard to quibble with the raise to game made by partner. The alternative of 3H – forcing of course – would almost certainly result in partner raising to 4H which would founder horribly if the hand was forced with club leads and would be no picnic even if it wasn’t. 5D would make on a low club lead because North would never get to make his king of spades if declarer utilises the favourable trump position and leads up to dummy’s hearts twice. Eventually he would be able to pitch his losing spade on a heart winner. On a spade lead declarer would be forced into taking the finesse, with predictable outcome!