Even
though North had denied four spades by responding 1NT, South was
correct to describe his own hand by reversing to 2S. Since North had
two good cards and three-card heart support, he jumped to game. How
would you play 4H when West leads the queen of diamonds? Suppose you
start by drawing two rounds of trumps. The suit breaks 3-2 but you
will not make the contract. Neither spades nor diamonds break 3-3. To
make ten tricks, you need to ruff a spade in the dummy. Provided you
can do this after drawing two rounds of trumps, you will not be
worried if the fourth spade is overruffed. The overruff will then be
with a master trump. It is not easy to time the play correctly. If you
draw two rounds of trumps before playing ace, king and another spade.
East will win and draw dummy’s last trump. Suppose instead that you
draw only one round of trumps and then play ace, king and another
spade. East will win the third spade and West will be able to ruff the
fourth spade with the bare jack of trumps. You will still have two
tricks to lose and that will be one down. The defenders must win their
spade trick at a moment when they can do no damage. Duck a spade at
Trick 2! You can win the return, draw two rounds of trumps and then
return to the spade suit. Ten tricks whatever the defenders do.
What rebid will you
make?
A spade slam is possible
and you should suggest this with a cue bid of 4H. You cannot possibly
want to suggest hearts as a trump suit after this start to the
auction. 4H therefore agrees spades as trumps, suggests a slam and
shows the ace (or king) of hearts.
Even
though North had denied four spades by responding 1NT, South was
correct to describe his own hand by reversing to 2S. Since North had
two good cards and three-card heart support, he jumped to game. How
would you play 4H when West leads the queen of diamonds? Suppose you
start by drawing two rounds of trumps. The suit breaks 3-2 but you
will not make the contract. Neither spades nor diamonds break 3-3. To
make ten tricks, you need to ruff a spade in the dummy. Provided you
can do this after drawing two rounds of trumps, you will not be
worried if the fourth spade is overruffed. The overruff will then be
with a master trump. It is not easy to time the play correctly. If you
draw two rounds of trumps before playing ace, king and another spade.
East will win and draw dummy’s last trump. Suppose instead that you
draw only one round of trumps and then play ace, king and another
spade. East will win the third spade and West will be able to ruff the
fourth spade with the bare jack of trumps. You will still have two
tricks to lose and that will be one down. The defenders must win their
spade trick at a moment when they can do no damage. Duck a spade at
Trick 2! You can win the return, draw two rounds of trumps and then
return to the spade suit. Ten tricks whatever the defenders do.
A spade slam is possible
and you should suggest this with a cue bid of 4H. You cannot possibly
want to suggest hearts as a trump suit after this start to the
auction. 4H therefore agrees spades as trumps, suggests a slam and
shows the ace (or king) of hearts.