Slamming in the trenches, part 2

Hi all

Here’s another one from Patton Tuesday. Hoek and I had very sensitive slam sensors.

South
AKQ9xx
Jxxx
Tx
x

Hoek opens 1 (unbalanced, or 15-19 balanced) and I answer 1. Hoek now reverses with 2 and I have to make my mind up. Fourth suit force doesn’t bring me anywhere, I want to tell I have a very good suit. So I bid 3. Some cuebidding and Ace-asking later I’m in 6.

North
T8
Ax
AJ9x
AKJ9x

South
AKQ9xx
Jxxx
Tx
x

West leads a . I take some time to plan the play. Straightforward looks best. I take the Ace, and exit in , East rising with the King. I take the trump switch and ruff a , the Queen of comes crashing down and I claim an easy twelve tricks.

So East rising with the  King was a bad move and my opponents start complaining to eachother. During this verbal violence I take a deeper look into the game. I notice I should have started with a ruff, before exiting in . Then the ruff in dummy is the second entry for another ruff. And then there’s still the Ace in dummy as an entry to the developed suit.

On any other lead you have to take the double finesse in and combine it with developing the suit. Not impossible, but you’d better get your timing right.

North Dealer
EW Vul
North
T8
Ax
AJ9x
AKJ9x
West
xxx
Qxx
Kxxx
xxx
East
Jx
Kxxx
Qxx
QTxx
South
AKQ9xx
Jxxx
Tx
x