Advanced Quiz 5U81 by Richard Pavlicek
Advanced Quiz 5U81 by Richard Pavlicek
 | ![[W - E]](v.gif) |
|  2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
On the last deal, you pick up this wild collection and the opponent on your right opens 1 . What would you bid?
Wrong!
Sorry!
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| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Right! This is the unusual notrump which shows the two lowest unbid suits — here it shows the minors. The next opponent raises hearts and opener continues to game, as partner keeps quiet. The bidding has gone:
| West 3 | North Pass | East 1 4 | South 2 NT ? |
Are you ready to give up? What would you do now?
No way!
Not right!
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| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Excellent! With a typical 5-5 hand you would pass, but you don’t get dealt 6-6 every day. It pays to keep bidding with wild shape. You would still like to know which minor partner is longer in, so it is a clever strategy to repeat the unusual notrump bid to ask partner to choose.
Your left-hand opponent doubles, and this is passed back to you:
| West 3 Dbl | North Pass Pass | East 1 4 Pass | South 2 NT 4 NT ? |
Does partner’s pass mean that he wants to play 4 NT doubled?
Ouch!
Not best!
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| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
| West 3 Dbl | North Pass Pass | East 1 4 Pass | South 2 NT 4 NT ? |
Correct! Partner simply shows that he has no preference between the minors (equal length and strength) so the decision is up to you. What do you do now?
Wrong!
Sorry!
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| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
| West 3 Dbl | North Pass Pass | East 1 4 Pass | South 2 NT 4 NT ? |
Super! When choosing a trump suit from equal-length suits, the intermediate cards (Q-J-10-9) are more important than top cards (A-K). Hence you should choose diamonds.
Undaunted, West doubles again, so the full auction has been:
| West 3 Dbl Dbl | North Pass Pass All Pass | East 1 4 Pass | South 2 NT 4 NT 5 |
West leads the J and partner puts down a great dummy, considering that he could be completely broke. This is what you see:
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
How many “top tricks” do you count from the start?
No way!
Not right!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Very good! You have five natural trump tricks (barring a 5-0 break), two top clubs and one spade. Which suit will you rely on for additional tricks?
Ouch!
Not best!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Brilliant! That was easy I hope. After ruffing the opening lead, will you lead trumps right away?
Wrong!
Sorry!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Well done! You don’t know how the minors will break, and you are likely to aid your cause by ruffing a club. Which club will you lead first?
A J 4No way!
Not right!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Right! All follow. You next lead the 2 to dummy’s ace, then the J on which East plays the nine. Which club do you play?
K 4Ouch!
Not best!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Excellent! Good thing! The Q drops from West. You next lead the 7 and West discards a spade. What will you play from dummy?
J 8 3Wrong!
Sorry!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Correct! Are your remaining clubs now established?
No way!
Not right!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Super! Which card do you lead next from dummy?
J 4 3Ouch!
Not best!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Very good! Assume East follows with a low card. Which card to you play from your hand?
Q 10 5Wrong!
Sorry!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Brilliant! This is the key play! You must overtake else West would duck the jack. Then you would have to tap your hand, shortening your trumps, and you would fail. Try it.
If you win this trick, what do you lead next?
K 7 7No way!
Not right!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Well done! West wins the ace (East discards a heart) and returns a heart which you ruff, then cash the 10. What do you lead next?
7 7Ouch!
Not best!
| A 10 8 7 5 4 4 3 2 J 8 J 8 |
| Lead: J | |
| 2 — K Q 10 7 5 4 A K 7 6 5 4 |
Right! You are in control, and no matter when West ruffs you will lose just one more trick and make 5 .
Below are the E-W hands:
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| 9 6 3 J 10 9 7 A 9 6 2 Q 2 | ![[W - E]](t.gif) | K Q J A K Q 8 6 5 3 10 9 3 |
Copyright © 2007 Richard Pavlicek. All rights reserved.
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