Don't Let the Opponents Play In

Pairs Tactics by Andrew Robson click link

Don’t Let the Opponents Play in 1NT

passive four of clubs (but will partner read West North East South Don’t let the opponents play in it?). Avoid this nightmare and bid 2 ®. You 1NT 1NT, especially when they are non- (or more likely partner) will now play in 2®1 Pass 2™2 All Pass vulnerable. 2™/2 ´. Yes, this will frequently be a 4-3 fit, but don’t be afraid. Do the maths: if 1 Landy, showing both majors. Theore - partner scrambles home (+110), you’d tically 5-4, in practice many 4-4s war - IT’S tough defending 1NT. There are just have had to get the opponents three down rant the bid at pairs. Pay off to the odd so many options – starting with the tricky in 1NT (improbable). If partner goes –800: it’s only a bottom. choice of whether to lead passively or down one in 2 ™/2 ´, that’s better than the 2 Longer major. aggressively. (The computer says passive is opponents making 1NT exactly; even best, but only if partner knows you’re down two (undoubled) in 2 ™/2 ´ will When this board was played, most Wests more likely to lead from, say, 7-5-2 than, score well if the opponents can make eight made the textbook pass of 1NT. They had say, K-J-9-3.) So don’t defend 1NT – bid! tricks (as is perhaps quite likely – you’d to decide what to lead (the modern expert This is especially true when the opponents think the cards were lying badly for your choice would be the nine of diamonds, are non-vulnerable: the reason for this is side in that scenario). hating to lead from those broken four- that you will have to get the opponents Hand B: bid 2 ´. If you pass 1NT, are card majors). The passive diamond is best three down to compensate for your you leading the traditional fourth-highest – but by playing on the sequential clubs, making part-score (of 2 ™ or above). five of spades? Or the spade queen, to declarer can still amass eight tricks. That This is a column more about tactics avoid giving a cheap trick (with all the means East can fail (by one – as he is than system, but I will say one thing about risks that entails)? Or the club queen, from vulnerable) in his 4-3 fit 2 ™ and still show your defence to an opposing 1NT opener: the three-card sequence? Avoid that deci - a profit. you need a bid that shows both majors sion by bidding 2 ´ (admittedly easier if As declarer in the 2 ™ contract, East won (theoretically 5-4, but the winning pairs you are non-vulnerable, closer if you are South’s jack of clubs lead with dummy’s player will do it with 4-4). Landy is my vulnerable). ace, crossed to his king, then advanced the preferred defence, where all bids over their Hand C: bid 2 ™ if the opponents are queen of spades, expecting South to hold 1NT are natural, except for 2 ®: both non-vulnerable, as you’re unlikely to beat the king for his 1NT (he knew North held majors. the score of a making 2 ™ by defending 1NT the queen of clubs and at least one high With the above in mind, would you bid and getting the opponents down in 50s. If diamond – or South would have led a top with the following hands (if so, what) after the opponents are vulnerable, however, I’d diamond). The spade trick went queen, right-hand opponent opens a 12-14 point be tempted to pass 1NT, hope to beat them king, ace, low, declarer next cashing the 1NT at Love All? by two tricks and so score the magic +200. jack, ruffing a spade, ruffing a club (South I plan to cash my hearts and, with the discarding a diamond to pre serve his tempo on my side, learn from partner’s dis - master spade) and leading dummy’s fourth Hand A Hand B cards which suit to attack next . spade. North alertly ruffed in with the ten, ´ K 10 3 2 ´ Q J 8 5 3 declarer discarding a diamond. ™ A J 4 2 ™ A 5 It didn’t matter what the defence did t K J 5 t 8 2 E/W Game. Dealer South. from here: if they led diamonds, declarer ® 4 2 ® Q J 10 2 ´ 9 6 2 could ruff a third diamond in his hand. In ™ 10 7 3 practice North led a trump to South’s ace, t A Q 3 followed by a second (low) trump. De - Hand C ® Q 9 8 3 clarer successfully finessed dummy’s jack ´ 6 2 ´ A J 5 4 ´ Q 7 and scored his eighth trick with dummy’s ™ ™ N ™ A K Q 8 4 K J 6 2 W E 9 8 4 king. Contract made and +110. East-West t Q 9 2 t 9 4 2 S t J 10 8 would have had a great result even if they ® Q 4 2 ® A 4 ® K 7 6 5 2 could have defeated South’s 1NT by two ´ K 10 8 3 tricks. ™ A Q 5 I hate guessing (by definition, I’ll some - Hand A: bid 2 ® Landy. If you pass, what t K 7 6 5 times guess wrong). I’ll often do some- are you going to lead vs 1NT? Anything ® J 10 thing, anything, to avoid an ensuing guess. could be right, including even the super- I’d urge you to do the same. r