Page 12 - BB201111

B B
BETTER
VOL. 16, NO. 2 12 BRIDGE
N OVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
The Real Deal by Larry Cohen
Larry Cohen, a many-time National
champion, is a popular writer
and lecturer, living in Boca
Raton, Florida. Information
on Larry’s upcoming activities
can be found by visiting
www.larryco.com.
One of Larry’s favorite
teaching methods is to analyze
random deals. He feels that
any time you deal out a deck
of cards, there are numerous
lessons that can be learned.
It’s good to have a sense of
humor. This deal is a truly
random hand generated by
the popular computer program,
Bridge Baron. Normally, I
write up any deal that is given
to me by BETTER BRIDGE. This
issue, the computer’s first try
was a bit boring. I didn’t think
it would make an interesting
article. So I asked if it was
possible to get another deal.
The programmer, Stephen
Smith, replied, “Sure, we have only
several trillion more we can deal out!”
On the second try, we got this
interesting layout. South could open
4 , but this hand is too good. South
should start with 1 .
Is North worth a two-level response?
In standard, where a new suit at the
two level shows only 10+ points,
North has enough to respond at the
two level. Even using 2/1 Game
Force—which I strongly recommend
—I think North is worth a two-level
response. We’ll get to which suit in a
moment. It is true that North has a
poor fit for spades, but
North has a nice 5–5
hand with aces and
kings, not a bunch of
queens and jacks.
With 5–5 distribution,
it is normal to bid the higher-ranking
suit first, either as opener or responder.
This lets you bid the lower-ranking
suit next without having to use that
dreaded R-word, Reverse. So North
starts with a 2 response.
Should South bid the four-card
heart suit next?With 6–4 distribution,
the answer would probably be yes,
but not with 7–4. So South rebids
2 . South should not jump—there’s
too much exploring to be done.
North now mentions the clubs by
bidding 3 . Now what? South surely
has the unbid suit, hearts, stopped,
but this doesn’t look like a notrump
hand. South would love to hear
spade support—even a doubleton
—from partner. South can mark time
by bidding 3 . This
bid could be a little
confusing. Is it natural?
Is it looking for 3NT?
There’s no clear answer.
In this case, South
happens to have a good four-card
heart suit, but South might make the
same 3 bid on a hand such as:
A K Q 7 4 2 J 6 5 3 Q 8 6
just hoping that partner can
bid 3NT.
North, with hearts stopped
and having shown both
minor suits, would now bid
3NT. South’s hand doesn’t
look good for notrump—
those spades might get wasted.
South corrects to 4 , buying
the contract.
THE OPENING LEAD
West will likely lead the
singleton J. I like the tip
from world champion Benito
Garozzo: “When on lead, if
a singleton is at all possible,
lead it!”
THE PLAY IN 4
In a suit contract, my advice
is to think in terms of losers.
South has to lose one club
and no diamonds. The trump
suit is a mystery. South might
lose one trick on a good day,
two on a so-so day, and three on a
really bad day. The hearts are a very
important suit. South can take a
finesse against the Q and/or ruff a
heart in the dummy.
At trick one declarer wins the A.
Should declarer draw trump? No.
Declarer would like to use dummy’s
trump to ruff a heart loser.
At trick two, the K is played,
followed by the 3. Should South
finesse the J? Maybe.
T HE REAL DEAL
N ORTH
3
K 3
A Q 8 7 6
K 9 7 5 3
W EST EAST
J 10 6 5 K
10 9 8 5 Q 7 2
J K 10 9 5 4 2
A Q 10 2 J 8 4
SOUTH
A Q 9 8 7 4 2
A J 6 4
3
6
N
W E
S
D EAL: 15
D LR: SOUTH
V UL: BOTH
With 6–4 distribution,
opener can show the
four-card suit on the
rebid, but not with 7–4.
Pass Pass Pass Pass
2 3 3NT Pass
1 2 3 4
Pass Pass Pass Pass
D