Sunday, July 27, 2008

The Little Details

Having been urged to bid slowly with a big hand, I faced the following:
P 1H P ?
holding:
AJ432
6
AK7
KQ92

Ergo, I opted for 1S. The bidding came out as follows:
P 1H P 1S
X 2S P 4S
P P P

After the bidding, it occurred to me that partner had at most 4 minor suit cards. Maybe slam was decent, despite partner's concentration of values.

Dummy came down:

KQ97
AKJT2
T
864

The diamond 6 was led, taken in hand. I dropped the ace of trump, and LHO showed out.

Ok, now I'm glad I'm not in slam.

I opted for the ruffing finesse in hearts. 7 of diamonds ruffed, ace king of hearts, throwing a club. Then I ran the jack of hearts, overtaken by LHO, who returned the ace of clubs. Making 4S+1, for +2.1 IMPs.

5 hands bid 6S, and 1 bide 6NT. Only 2 slams made. Curious, I looked at the 6S=.

Rather than taking the ruffing finesse, declarer ruffed out two rounds of hearts, setting up the 13th heart on which to throw a second club. The way it turned out, declarer only lost the ace of clubs, and did not lose a trump trick at all. (Hearts were 4-3, and whatever RHO does on the 4th round of hearts, 12 come home, I think)

While pondering the two different lines of play, I noticed one small clue that pointed to the second line as being superior - LHO's double. I had completely forgotten it while playing the hand, but it does tend to hint that the high cards are on declarer's left.

Little details like an overcall or double along the way can be important. I need to be alert for them.

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