Friday, March 05, 2004 4:21 AM

Slam Hands

 

PITBULLS:

 

            Two interesting slam hands came up today with a lesson attached. hand and you hear the auction go

 

1♠ - p – 3♦ - p

 3♥ - p – 4♣ -P  

4NT – p – 5♥ -p

 6♠  all pass . 

 

The 3 ♦ was conventional showing a limit raise in spades .You decide to go passive with this hand  xx xx KJxx Kxxxx and lead a trump and the board comes down with

 

            ♠ Kxxx  ♥ xx ♦ Q109  ♣ AQJx       

 

Declarer wins your trump lead in his  hand and then crosses to the spade King and everybody follows. He plays A♣ and then Q♣ discarding a diamond and you are in . Now what ? As usual patterns are your guide with assistance by the way declarer is playing the hand . If declarers heart bid  was natural showing 4 or 5 hearts declarer is either 5-5-2-1 or 5-4-3-1 . With either of those patterns , if declarer has the diamond Ace  , you are not getting a diamond trick as the next diamond is getting discarded on the ♣J . OK the worst case scenerio is you finesse yourself out of the diamond King if declarer has Ace 4th of diamonds. Wait a minute - if declarer has Axxx opposite Q109 would he be trying for quick pitches on the club suit ? You win your club and lead a diamond back to partners Ace and beat the slam otherwise they make 6 off two cashable diamonds. Declarer did not Q bid 4♦ over 4♣ because he did not have a diamond control !! Very bad bidding but a good result if you are not on your toes.

 

            Another hand xx Qxxxxx xxxx x and the auction goes

 

1♠ - p – 3♦ ( splinter ) – 4NT 

 6♠ - p – p – x

 

What do you lead ?  Partner has advertised probably 6-6 in the minors . A heart void is very likely with the lead directing double . Golden rule : if partner is not making a lead directing double you should treat it as one anyway. You lead a heart and partner ruffs and cashes the diamond Ace . Any other lead and the slam makes. The lesson on both these hands is translating bidding into patterns to assist you . With the help of declarers line of play and partne’s double you beat both slams as you have a blueprint to follow..

 

As an aside there is another rule . If the opponents freely bid a slam other then in obvious sacrificing situation , penalty doubles do not exist . If the opening leader doubles then he is “asking permission” to sacrifice with a D.S.I.P. double . If the other partner doubles , it is lead directing. You do not try to “punish” freely bid slams by the opponents.