Marathon of Sittard Imps Pairs

Sittard, Euregional Sports and Convention Center

August 25, 2001


Session 02 - Boards 01-04

Recommended bidding sequence:

1NT = One round force. North has less than 3ª, and 5-11 hcp.
2NT = Balanced hand, 18-19 hcp. West upgraded for his excellent 5-card ª-suit.

South leads his 3rd diamond to the queen. North continues ¨K and a ¨ to the ace, South unblocking the jack. Now East leads a low club to queen and king. North cashes ¨T, and exits in hearts. East wins, and cashes all of his spades. If spades happen to break 5-1, he still has an entry to the good clubs in his hand. It will not help North to duck the first round of clubs, for East will continue §A and §Q, and come to hand in hearts later.

If East runs the jack of clubs to North's king, and spades break indeed 5-1, a ©-return will set the contract, since East will not be able to get back to his hand to collect a third §-trick.

Recommended bidding sequence:

2§ = Stayman relay*, for which East does not need a 4-card major. East could transfer to 3¨ instead, but then he would give up on exploration of a 5-3 ©-fit. 4© might play better than 3NT or 5¨, and 6© might be better than 6¨.
2¨ = Nó 4-card major.

West has 11 easy tricks. Some Wests will end up in 6¨. The slam goes highly against the odds, but it does make on double dummy play: ªQ for the king, 2 rounds of trumps, ending in hand, a club dumped on ªA, ª ruffed, ©J covered by South, and if West allows him to hold this trick, South is endplayed. A low heart will run to the ten, a low club will be for the ten, and a high club will be taken with the king, whereafter West succesfully finesses with §T.

* Stayman relays at the level of 2 and 3, whether or not promising a 4-card major, are no longer alertable in Teh Netherlands as of September 1, 2001. You will find Dutch Alert Regulations here.

Recommended bidding sequence:

2NT = 4+ ©-support, limit raise or better (Truscott 2NT).
3NT = Enough to go to game, but lacking controls in the outside suits. This means, West has a balanced hand, as well.

North starts out with §K, §A and a § ruffed by South and West. Declarer draws trumps in one round, and then cashes ªA as a preparation for a squeeze if some unfortunate defender holds ªK and 4 or more diamonds at the same time. This preparation is called Vienna Coup, and was first executed by James Clay in a game of whist in Vienna back in 1864. After the ace of spades, West cashes all of his trumps. On the last trump, West discards the spade from dummy, and South must either dump his king of spades, or bring his number of diamonds down to three.

If West fails to cash ªA in time, spades will block on the last trump.

Recommended, but rather aggressive bidding sequence:

Dbl = Negative, i.e., 6+ hcp, but lacking 4-card ©-support.
Pass = For penalties, of course.
Rdb = SOS, hoping to find a (much) better fit in a minor.
2© = East is a little short of a limit raise.
3© = Hoping to find East with 8-9 hcp.

Defense starts off with ªA, ª ruffed, § to queen and ace, ª ruffed, § to the jack, and another spade to put West to a guess. West must ruff high in dummy, and drop ©Q, to limit his damage to -200.

How could South be as confident as to underlead his §K twice? The answer is, that North led ª3 at trick 2, and ª5 at trick four, his lowest spades at these points, Lavinthal signals asking for returns in the lowest suit, i.e., clubs.

Go to Session 02, Boards 05-08

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