Why Not


21st September – Board 8. Love All. Dealer West.
If a bid is virtually redundant why not ascribe to it a specific meaning? East on the hand shown below had a problem of sorts which could be described with just that reasoning.

North:
S 8 3 2
H K J
D J 10 9 8 4
C J 8 2

West:
S A Q 6
H A Q 10 9 5
D Q 7 6
C Q 9

East:
S K 10 4
H 6 4 3 2
D A K 2
C K 10 3

South:
S J 9 7 5
H 8 7
D 5 3
C A 7 6 5 4


  West
 North
  East
  South
     1H
    No
    3NT
    No
   No/4H
    End
   
   


Clearly East wants to be in game after his partner opens the bidding and yet in support of hearts he has an eight-loser hand. The recommended way of dealing with this is to reserve a bid of 3NT over the major as to show just this type of hand – completely flat and about 13 or 14 points. West has a choice of games and personally I would leave 3NT but it’s a close run thing. The correct way to play hearts for no losers is to play low to the queen (I think.) This caters for South having Kx or Kxx. When North wins the king the definite best play next is to play low to the ten to North’s delight perhaps. Playing teams it hardly matters losing an extra trick as long as the contract is secure but of course at pairs it means all the difference in the world.

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