I was sitting North in a pair game, partnered by Shaya Levit, one of Israel's
finest players. I wasn't feeling too well, having just gotten off a plane a few
hours before, so I ordered a cup of weak tea and asked Shaya to declare
the hands if possible. Meanwhile, West opened the bidding in front of me.
I doubled and the next hand passed. It was now up to my partner....

MANY NEW BOOKS NOW IN STORE
	Click book to go to store or Click here to view the whole collection

 South Shaya
   Q 9 8 7 4
   3 2
   K 7 6 4 2
   3

The trouble with Shaya is that he is a purist. Even if I ask him to declare
the hands, he wants to make the perfect bid. So he bid 2 and I decided
to give him another chance to bid the notrump by cuebidding 2.

What do you think is the right call with his hand after my 2?

 South Shaya
   Q 9 8 7 4
   3 2
   K 7 6 4 2
   3

With the spade suit well-stopped, I think he must bid 2NT. If my cuebid is
distributional, say with a void in spades and length in diamonds, I can go
back to 3. As it was, I was able to put my dummy down and enjoy my tea.

A waitress passed by and I ordered some cookies as well.

 South Shaya
   Q 9 8 7 4
   3 2
   K 7 6 4 2
   3

You must admit I had a nice hand for him. East followed with the jack of
spades at trick one and Shaya won the trick with the queen. He could now
count eight tricks, so he played a heart. It seemed on the bidding that
West was likely to hold the ace of hearts. However, when West followed
small Shaya stopped to consider the situation.

What would you do?

 South Shaya
   Q 9 8 7 4
   3 2
   K 7 6 4 2
   3

As West, on the bidding, is marked with A-K-10-x-x of spades and is
unlikely to know that declarer has five spades, he would surely rise
with the ace of hearts and try to cash his spade winners. When he
played low, Shaya confidently finessed the ten.

 South Shaya
   9 8 7 4
   3 2
   K 7 6 4 2
   3

East won the ace of hearts and returned a diamond. After cashing his
club winners in dummy, Shaya came down to this ending:

Dealer : West Vuln: Both	North (tea and cookies)    3    K J 8    —    —
West A K Q 9 — —	East — 6 5 10 8 —
	South Shaya    9 8    3    K    —

As you can see, West had to keep two hearts, so he could hold only
two spades. Shaya then played the 3 of spades and was able to score
two heart tricks at the end for an overtrick. Already my stomach was
starting to feel better.

THE END

MANY NEW BOOKS NOW IN STORE
	Click book to go to store or Click here to view the whole collection

 South Shaya
   Q 9 8 7 4
   3 2
   K 7 6 4 2
   3

South — 2 2NT	West 1 pass pass	North double 2 3NT	East pass pass all pass
Opening lead: 6

Archives of all back issues of all
dailycolumns are available with
Bridgetoday.commembership (which
also includes 12 issues ofBridge
Today Magazine, 100 archive issues
of Bridge Today Digest Online, and
oneBridge Today University course).
Click here for further details.

eMAGAZINE | NOVICES | BRIDGE COURSES

COLUMNS | QUIZZES |

BACK TO HOMEPAGE

Copyright ©2002-2024 by BridgeToday
Click here to contact us: bridgetoday.com@gmail.com