Friday, May 21, 2021

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - May 24, 2021 - An Inexperienced Slam in Hearts

 

Vic:

Assumption: We are talking about slam in hearts. 

Answer: Hopefully not, because I do not believe it deserves to make slam in hearts. 

Comment: Verses very poor defensive bidding & play, plus against the odds play of the diamond suit by declarer, it appears to me to be possible to take 12 or 13 tricks in hearts. Verses good defensive bidding & play, plus correct play of the diamond suit by declarer, it appears to me to deserve only 10 tricks in hearts. 

Imagined Auction:  1D (north is too strong to open 1NT) - 2S (weak) - 3H - Pass - 4H - Pass - Pass - Pass 

Play: I would expect West to lead club Ace (win - promises King), then lead spade Five (won by North - West King promoted). I would then expect declarer to pull trump then win high diamond then lead diamond from hand & finesse diamond Jack (won by East). I would then expect East to take their promoted spade King. If you are counting, that is three tricks for defense - declarer deserves the rest, making 4H. 

Bad Bridge Rocks: The against the odds play of the diamond suit that would facilitate slam would be to play diamonds from the top, hoping to drop a doubleton Queen. When the Queen does drop, in addition to not giving up a diamond trick it allows declarer to subsequently discard a losing spade from their hand on north diamonds. 

Moral: Take heart inexperienced players - sometimes your flawed play will earn you a high board (but not MOST of the time). 

Conclusion: Ain't bridge a great game?

 


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