A true gem

Hi all

Yesterday René (playing with Nira) got his hands on the next gem. It’s beautiful.

West Dealer
EW Vul
North
K854
KJ6
KT52
JT
West
AJ9732
T87542
5
East
Q6
Q3
Q9743
Q863
South
T
A9
AJ86
AK9742

I don’t know about the bidding, but looking at the freak distributions, there must have been some action involved.

René was on play in 6 and he got the lead of the Ace and another one. He discarded a on the King and led the Ten of (some good vibrations at the table), ducked all the way, West discarding. Next he cashed his Ace and King of and West discarded again on the second round. He grabbed his chance with both hands: a ruff, win the King of and then a small one to his Ace. He ruffed another and now a from dummy, overruffing East’s small trump. He had reached this position:

West Dealer
EW Vul
North
8
J
K
West
of
no
real
importance
East
Q97
South
AJ
9

He ruffed his last with the King of trumps, and now he was in dummy for the Grand Coup. I guess East must have felt sick underruffing four times!

I love relays

Hi all

Last night at Star. This is why I play a relay-system.

North Dealer
EW Vul
North
AJ73
A952
86
Q63
West
Q82
QJ84
Q4
K842
East
T654
KT63
T752
7
South
K9
7
AKJ93
AJT95

 

West
North
East
South
 
1NT1
pass
22
pass
2
pass
23
pass
2NT4
pass
35
pass
36
pass
37
pass
48
pass
69
a.p.
 
 
 

1. 10-12 balanced
2. Stayman, or initiating a GF relay
3. GF relay
4. Showing four spades
5. Relay for distribution
6. 4-4-2-3
7. Aces?
8. Two Aces, or
9. That’s all I wanted to know

I boldly leaped to the slam. With the Queen of trumps smiling in dummy it’s a grand on a finesse (and some more). Even with a trump lead there was no play to it, I just ruffed a in dummy, only losing a trick to the King of .

This one looks hard to bid in a natural system, no?

Trump Burden

Hi all

Here’s a deal I just cannot keep to myself. René played this one on a pairs night at BC Star. That also justifies his bidding… kind of.

West Dealer
– Vul
North
AKQ9
843
75
KQ93
West
J73
KQJ962
T4
A5
East
T642
A
QJ83
JT76
South
85
T75
AK962
842

West
North
East
South
1
1
Double
pass
2
2
a.p.
 

East led the Ace of and switched to a for West’s Ace. Two more rounds of , and look what happens to East. He’s squeezed in some weird kind of way! He can miss one , but the third round of just kills him, he has to let go of his guard.

It hurts to have too many trumps, doesn’t it? René ended up with eight tricks, losing three a trump and just one . Nice!