This hand is not up to Victor Mollo's standard (4H makes ... in
both directions) but it is amusing that it made 9 tricks in no-trump
when played E-W and 10 tricks in Spades when played N-S.
Board: 24
Vul: None
Dealer: West
North
S: Q 10 9 7 6
H: 7 6 4 3
D: 10 5
C: Q 9
West
S: 2
H: K J 9 8
D: 9 7 3 2
C: A K 4 3
East
S: K 8 3
H: 10 5 2
D: K 8 4
C: J 10 7 6
South
S: A J 5 4
H: A Q
D: A Q J 6
C: 8 5 2
At my table, the bidding went
West North East South
1 C P 1 NT All Pass
Opening Lead: Diamond 6
Declarer (East) won the King and started the Clubs. When the Queen
fell, there were five tricks in the bag, with the lead in the closed
hand. Declarer led a Heart, and South rose with the Ace, then cashed
three Diamond tricks. If the contract had been 3 NT, then South would
have taken the Spade Ace as the setting trick. Against the actual 1 NT,
South led a low Spade, won by East with the King. Dummy's Hearts took
the rest of the tricks.
I am not sure how the bidding went at the other table. If West did
not like opening with 11 HCP and two distributional points, then this
seems likely:
West North East South
P P P 1 D
P 1 S P 4 S
All Pass
South is too strong to open 1 NT, so opens 1D with the plan of rebidding
2 NT. After North stretches to respond, South raises to game.
Opening Lead: Club Jack
The defense started with two high Clubs and a third round, ruffed
by declarer. Declarer used this precious entry to lead the Diamond 10:
East played low, and the 10 held. Then two Spade finesses, keeping the
lead in the closed hand. One more Diamond finesse, then drop East's two
Kings, and declarer takes everything but the first two Clubs and the
Queen of Hearts at the end.
Note that it does not help for East to cover the Diamond 10.
Declarer would have won the Ace, taken the Queen, and ruffed the 6 to
get back to his hand. Then a couple of Spade finesses, etc.
The Law of Total Tricks predicts 16 total tricks, assuming that N-S
play in Spades and E-W play in NT and assuming perfect play. I think
that 10 tricks in Spades is right, but if South leads a Spade against 1
NT, then I think E-W take the first five tricks (one Spade and four
Clubs) and E-W take the rest (four Spades, one Heart, and three
Diamonds). So it looks to me like 15 total tricks, one off from the
prediction. The defense does one trick better if West plays the hand.
The Law of Total Tricks predicts 17 total tricks assuming that N-S
play in Spades and E-W play in Clubs. It looks to me as though E-W can
take eight tricks, meaning that the prediction is again off by one, but
in the other direction.
both directions) but it is amusing that it made 9 tricks in no-trump
when played E-W and 10 tricks in Spades when played N-S.
Board: 24
Vul: None
Dealer: West
North
S: Q 10 9 7 6
H: 7 6 4 3
D: 10 5
C: Q 9
West
S: 2
H: K J 9 8
D: 9 7 3 2
C: A K 4 3
East
S: K 8 3
H: 10 5 2
D: K 8 4
C: J 10 7 6
South
S: A J 5 4
H: A Q
D: A Q J 6
C: 8 5 2
At my table, the bidding went
West North East South
1 C P 1 NT All Pass
Opening Lead: Diamond 6
Declarer (East) won the King and started the Clubs. When the Queen
fell, there were five tricks in the bag, with the lead in the closed
hand. Declarer led a Heart, and South rose with the Ace, then cashed
three Diamond tricks. If the contract had been 3 NT, then South would
have taken the Spade Ace as the setting trick. Against the actual 1 NT,
South led a low Spade, won by East with the King. Dummy's Hearts took
the rest of the tricks.
I am not sure how the bidding went at the other table. If West did
not like opening with 11 HCP and two distributional points, then this
seems likely:
West North East South
P P P 1 D
P 1 S P 4 S
All Pass
South is too strong to open 1 NT, so opens 1D with the plan of rebidding
2 NT. After North stretches to respond, South raises to game.
Opening Lead: Club Jack
The defense started with two high Clubs and a third round, ruffed
by declarer. Declarer used this precious entry to lead the Diamond 10:
East played low, and the 10 held. Then two Spade finesses, keeping the
lead in the closed hand. One more Diamond finesse, then drop East's two
Kings, and declarer takes everything but the first two Clubs and the
Queen of Hearts at the end.
Note that it does not help for East to cover the Diamond 10.
Declarer would have won the Ace, taken the Queen, and ruffed the 6 to
get back to his hand. Then a couple of Spade finesses, etc.
The Law of Total Tricks predicts 16 total tricks, assuming that N-S
play in Spades and E-W play in NT and assuming perfect play. I think
that 10 tricks in Spades is right, but if South leads a Spade against 1
NT, then I think E-W take the first five tricks (one Spade and four
Clubs) and E-W take the rest (four Spades, one Heart, and three
Diamonds). So it looks to me like 15 total tricks, one off from the
prediction. The defense does one trick better if West plays the hand.
The Law of Total Tricks predicts 17 total tricks assuming that N-S
play in Spades and E-W play in Clubs. It looks to me as though E-W can
take eight tricks, meaning that the prediction is again off by one, but
in the other direction.
Fun hand tonight