All Hans On Deck

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday July 5, 2006

Ron Klinger

When the opponents have bid a suit and you are considering a no-trump contract, you tend to worry about stoppers only in any suit they have shown. Sometimes that leaves you playing in no-trumps with some other suit wide open. The question then is whether the opponents will find your Achilles heel. Here is an example from the 2005 Bermuda Bowl:

Round 15 : Board 9

East dealer : North-South vulnerable

(Directions changed)

Bermuda Bowl: Australia v South Africa

West North East South

Nunn Hans

--- --- 1S Dble

Pass 2S Pass 3D

Pass 3S Pass 3NT

Dble Pass Pass Pass

Lead: SQ

So there is Hans in 3NT with a barren club suit. What would you do? You could take your eight tricks and call it quits for -200 or you could make a try for your contract. Naturally you would not give up and settle for a sure minus. So, how would you continue?

Hans did something neat. He led the DJ ('pretend finesse') to dummy's king and then

played the H2. As East was void in diamonds, he might well have thought that partner had DQ-x-x, especially in view of the double. He therefore saw no urgency in grabbing the HA and switching to a club. When he played low, the HQ won and Hans had nine tricks for +750.

At the other table:

West North East South

Thomson Marston

--- --- 1H (1) 1S (2)

Pass 3D All pass

(1) Shows 4+ spades, 10-14 points

(2) Takeout double of spades

Lead: S10

You cannot beat 3D and in fact declarer

made an overtrick for +130, but -12 Imps.

In the Women's Australia scored +7 Imps for a part-score in each direction against

Japan. East made ten tricks in 2S for +170 and South made ten tricks in 4D on the SQ

lead for +130.

Seniors: Australia vs Bangladesh.

West North East South

Neill Klinger

--- --- 1H (1) 2D

Pass 3D 3H (2) 4D

5C 5D Dble All pass

(1) 4+ spades, 10-17 points

(2) Exactly three hearts

Lead: SQ

As the 1H opening showed spades and denied four hearts, East had the opportunity

later to show a desire to compete with exactly three hearts. Declarer was one down for -200.

At the other table:

West North East South

Lilley Smolanko

--- --- 1S 2D

Pass 2S (1) Pass 3H

Pass 5D All pass

(1) Strong diamond raise

Lead: SQ

Declarer made ten tricks for -100, but +3 Imps.

As the cards lie 4S is unbeatable, but how many would find that contract? Not many.

Take a look:

Results: Open: 4S doubled +590 twice; 4S +420; 3NT -200 twice, -100 twice, +600

twice; 3NT doubled 750; 5D -100 three times; 5C -100 once; others various partscores.

Women's: No one in 4S; 3NT -200 twice, -100 twice, +600 three times, +630 twice; 5D -100 twice; others various part-scores.

Seniors: No one in 4S; 4H -300; 3NT - 200 six times, -100 three times, +600

twice; 5D -200 twice, - 100 once; 6C doubled -300; others part-scores.

To say he is unbearable is to say the nicest

thing you can about him.

Tomorrow's problem:

South dealer : East-West vulnerable

West North East South

--- --- --- 1NT

Pass Pass Dble (1) ?

(1) Penalties

What should South do with:

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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