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Hand played on |
11th January 2007 |
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Board number 13 |
Mary Rogers Trophy |
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Dealer |
North |
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Vulnerability |
Both |
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Submitted by |
Alaric Cundy |
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North ª J © AK987 ¨ AKJ4 § AT6 |
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West ª KT76543 © J5 ¨ Q9 § 52 |
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East ª Q8 © T6432 ¨ T65 § QJ7 |
North |
Bidding:
East |
South |
West |
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South ª A92 © Q ¨ 8732 § K9843 |
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2¨ 2NT 3© |
No No No |
2© 3§ 3NT |
No No End |
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NS were playing a three-way Multi-style system (* see below), and North's first two bids showed a balanced / semi balanced hand with 20 - 22 HCPs and a 5-card major. South's 2© was a (default) relay bid and his 3§ asked North to specify the major suit. Knowing that Declarer held a 5-card heart suit, East made the unfortunate choice of a club lead at trick one. With the queen of diamonds onside and doubleton, Declarer had the opportunity to amass all 13 tricks after the initial club lead.
There is a question as to whether in the Multi sequence West should have tried 2ª en route. That is potentially a high-risk strategy as at that stage in the auction it is possible that North holds a weak 2 opening in spades. In practice, however, that bid makes things awkward for North. North now has to show the hand by bidding 3ª - which South should be able to read as the 20 - 22 HCP hand, with five hearts, but no spade stopper. South can sign off in 3NT, but after a spade lead from West far fewer tricks will be made.
Surprisingly, perhaps, there was a very wide range of outcomes on this board. Two pairs reached an excellent minor suit slam, but four pairs subsided in a diamond part-score... I would be very interested to hear how the slams were bid - and does any brave soul want to own up to a diamond part-score?
* In summary, the Multi-style deployed was that a 2¨ opening shows either a weak 2 opening in either major (6-10 HCPs, 6-card suit) OR 8 playing tricks in either minor OR (as here) a strong balanced or semi balanced hand with 20-22 HCPs and a 5-card major. Linked to that a direct 2NT opening denies holding a five-card major, which then allows Baron responses to explore possible 4-4 fits in any suit, rather than, for example, the use of 5-card Stayman.