Fourth Suit Forcing ♠ Q J 4 Board 3 : Dealer South : EW Vulnerable

Fourth Suit Forcing ♠ Q J 4 Board 3 : Dealer South : EW vulnerable

♥ K 10 7 ♠ Board 1 : Dealer North : Love all 8 ♦ West North East South ♥ Q 5 4 A Q 10 6 5 ♣ Pass ♦ West North East South Q 10 7 6 9 8 4 ♠ ♠ 1♥ Pass 1 ♠ Pass ♣ 1♥ Pass 1♠ 8 A K 7 6 5 A Q 3 2 ♥ ♥ 2♣ Pass 2♦(1) Pass (2) ♠ ♠ Pass 2♣ Pass 2N A Q 9 6 5 2 J 3 10 9 3 2 Q J 4 ♦ ♦ 2♥ All pass ♥ ♥ 9 8 10 3 2 8 4 2 K 9 7 ♣ ♣ 1 Fourth suit forcing 2 Might double for the lead (that ♦ ♦ By bidding one suit, and introducing another, North shows A J 3 2 K 9 8 A J 7 6 3 Q 5 helps East West in that 2 ♥ now promises six hearts (pass 5+hearts and 4+clubs. 2N shows 10-12 high card points ♠ 10 9 3 2 ♣ K ♣ J 10 7 6 4 with five) (“hcps”) and a diamond stopper. South does not need to ♥ 8 4 ♠ A K 7 6 5 use the fourth suit forcing bid of 2 ♦ since he has a ♦ A K J 7 6 ♥ J 3 East bids fourth suit but, this time, at the 2level. At this perfectly good natural bid available. ♣ 5 4 ♦ K 10 2 level the bid only promises invitational values (10+ hcps)

♣ 9 8 5 though it might be stronger. Assuming South has not With the ♣K making a quick appearance declarer will doubled 2 ♦, bidding 2 ♥ tends to promise a sixth heart always make at least eight tricks. He takes a heart finesse. though it might be bid as a neutral call (with five hearts) if Though that loses he has two spades, four hearts and two there are no better options. As West has shown no extra clubs. The diamond combination is such that the defence values East decides to pass, perhaps a little can only take two quick tricks though an initial diamond conservatively. ♦ lead holds declarer to eight tricks. Declarer must win K but, after the losing heart finesse, the defence can take This turns out well though, provided East West don’t get four diamonds. to game, they will be all right. Declarer will lose four tricks – one heart, two diamonds and a club – after the defence has cashed two diamonds. Yes, the club finesse ♠ 9 7 5 3 2 Board 2 : Dealer East : NS vulnerable fails. If the defence starts with a spade, declarer will ♥ 9 7 probably still only make nine tricks. Now a diamond loser ♦ 2 West North East South can be thrown but declarer will lose a heart, a diamond ♣ K Q 9 8 7 1♠ Pass and two clubs (unless, looking at the last suit, declarer ♠ A 8 ♠ K Q J 10 6 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass plays an unlikely club towards ♣K98, forcing North to ♣(1) ♥ ♥ A 3 2 ♥ K Q J 5 4 3 Pass 3 Pass play ♣10). ♦ K Q 9 4 3 ♦ A 6 4♥ Pass 4N (2) Pass ♣ 6 5 4 ♣ 2 5♥(3) Pass 6♥ All pass After West has bid them, North shouldn’t lead a club. That ♠ 4 1 Fourth suit forcing (to game as bid at the 3level) would give declarer an easy third club trick. 10 tricks ♥ 10 8 6 2 Roman Key Card Blackwood 3 2 of the 5 “aces”, no queen would arise after a diamond loser has been thrown on the ♦ J 10 8 7 5 of trumps second spade winner. ♣ A J 10 3 ♥ Once East rebids 2 he shows 5+spades and 4+hearts. Over the fourth suit forcing bid he rebids his second suit to show that he holds at least 5/5 in the majors. After West has raised hearts East, knowing partner has a good hand (2level response and 3level fourth suit forcing bid), makes a try for slam. East knows one ace is missing and settles on the small slam.

There is little to the play. Unless South cashes the ace of clubs, declarer can draw trumps and claim 13 tricks – five spades, five hearts and three diamonds.

© Stamford Bridge Club © Stamford Bridge Club Wednesday Workshop Wednesday Workshop 23 rd October 2019 23 rd October 2019 . ♠ K 8 7 Board 4 : Dealer West : All vulnerable ♠ Q 10 9 3 2 Board 6 : Dealer East : EW vulnerable ♥ A Q J 2 ♥ 8 4 ♦ J West North East South ♦ A J 7 6 West North East South ♣ K Q 9 8 6 Pass 1 ♣ Pass 1 ♦ ♣ Q J 1♥ Pass ♠ A J 6 ♠ Q 10 4 3 Pass 1♥(1) Pass 2♠(2) ♠ A K 7 6 5 ♠ 8 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass ♥ 5 3 ♥ 10 9 8 4 Pass 3N All pass ♥ J 3 ♥ A Q 9 6 5 2♦(1) Pass 2N All pass ♦ K 8 4 ♦ 10 9 6 5 1 usually showing 5+clubs and 4+hearts but might be bid ♦ 10 3 2 ♦ K 9 8 1 Fourth suit forcing ♣ J 10 5 4 3 ♣ 7 with 441 ♦4 shape 2 Fourth suit forcing ♣ K 10 7 ♣ A 5 4 3 ♠ 9 5 2 ♠ J 4 This hand is similar to Board 1 except the responder does ♠ ♥ K 7 6 In this rare sequence a 1 rebid by South would be ♥ K 10 7 2 not have a diamond stop. Using fourth suit forcing is now ♦ A Q 7 3 2 natural (it’s turned up a couple of times in recent ♦ Q 5 4 appropriate. East bids no trumps because he does stop ♠ ♣ A 2 supervised play sessions). South must bid 2 to make a ♣ 9 8 6 2 the diamonds. He shows a minimum hand with the simple “where are we going?” fourth suit bid. Since this bid might 2N call. As West only has invitational values, he is happy only be invitational, North, who has a stop in spades, to pass. jumps to the no trump game to show extra values. It is often right, after this type of auction, to lead the With the ace of spades well placed, declarer should always fourth suit. That helps declarer here. He will, at some make the contract. The club suit does not break helpfully point, take the king of diamonds and play a club to the but declarer will always make four hearts and three clubs. king. Now he runs the knave of hearts. It loses but From the spades and diamonds declarer will add at least declarer will now get home. The hearts do not break but two tricks. If the defence has not played on spades, the fortunate club position allows declarer to take two declarer will probably run ♦J. It loses but ♦AQ provide spades, two hearts, a diamond and three clubs ( ♣10 being those tricks. 10 tricks can be made with the addition of a the third winner in the suit). There is also a chance of spade trick. declarer making a third heart.

The contract would have been more difficult on a spade ♠ K 4 Board 5 : Dealer North : NS vulnerable lead. ♥ K Q 8 6 4 ♦ A J 9 6 West North East South ♣ 6 3 1♥ Pass 1 ♠ ♠ 10 6 3 ♠ 8 5 2 Pass 2 ♦ Pass 3♣(1) ♥ 10 7 5 ♥ A 3 2 Pass 3 ♠ Pass 4♠ ♦ 10 8 3 ♦ 7 5 2 All pass ♣ A J 9 4 ♣ K Q 10 8 1 Fourth suit forcing (to game as bid at the 3level) ♠ A Q J 9 7 ♠ ♥ J 9 When North bids 3 he shows his decent doubleton spade ♦ K Q 4 (he could have three small spades in a hand with some ♠ ♠ ♣ 7 5 2 extras – else a direct raise of 1 to 2 would be appropriate). With the apparent lack of a club stop South is happy to play in a 5-2 spade fit.

The defence cannot take more than two clubs and a heart, with declarer making five spades, one heart and four diamonds. After trumps are drawn declarer will take the precaution of discarding his third club on the fourth diamond winner. Now he can build the heart trick. If he doesn’t do this the defence defeats the contract with a heart and three clubs.

3N fails as the defence can take a heart and four clubs.

♠ 4 2 Board 7 : Dealer South : All vulnerable ♠ 7 4 Board 8 : Dealer West : Love all ♥ A 3 ♥ 10 8 7 ♦ K 9 4 West North East South ♦ Q 8 5 4 West North East South ♣ A K Q 9 8 7 1♠ ♣ 8 6 5 2 1♥ Pass 1 ♠ Pass ♠ K 9 3 ♠ J 10 7 Pass 3 ♣ (1) Pass 3♦ ♠ 8 2 ♠ A K J 6 5 2♣ Pass 2♦(1) Pass ♥ K 9 7 4 2 ♥ Q J 10 8 Pass 3♥ (2) Pass 4 ♣ ♥ A Q 9 6 5 ♥ J 3 3♣ Pass 5♣ All pass ♦ J 10 6 ♦ 5 3 2 Pass 4N (3) Pass 5♥ (4) ♦ 9 ♦ 10 3 2 1 Fourth suit forcing ♣ 4 3 ♣ 10 6 5 Pass 6♣ (5) All pass ♣ A Q 9 4 3 ♣ K J 10 ♠ A Q 8 6 5 1 16+hcps, 6+good clubs, single-suited 2 Fourth suit ♠ Q 10 9 3 West bids out his 5/5 shape and, to East, it appears there ♥ 6 5 forcing (already forcing to game because of North’s initial ♥ K 4 2 is neither spade support, nor a diamond stop, in the West ♦ A Q 8 7 response) 3 Roman Key Card Blackwood 4 Two of the five ♦ A K J 7 6 hand. East had a hand that would insist on game in a ♣ J 2 “aces” 5 Might ask for kings but won’t be well-placed if ♣ 7 moderate way. He jumps to what he thinks the ♣ ♣ partner shows one (with zero, partner bids 6 and that can partnership will make (4 would have shown a stronger be passed; with two north would try 7 ♣) hand).

East leads ♥Q. Declarer wins and draws trumps. He tests The defence starts with two rounds of diamonds, the the diamonds. When they break 3-3 he is home, able to second being ruffed. Declarer crosses to ♣K and plays ♥J. throw the heart loser on the fourth diamond. He ruffs a This is covered and won. Declarer cashes ♥Q and ruffs a heart to hand and takes the spade finesse. That loses and heart, pleased to see the suit breaking. He overtakes ♣J to there is no overtrick. Plus 1,370 with one spade, one get back to hand to draw another three rounds of trumps. heart, four diamonds and six clubs. He makes 5 ♣ with an overtrick for plus 420. 12 tricks Had the diamonds not broken declarer would have ruffed from two spades, four hearts, a heart ruff and five clubs. If the fourth round back to hand. The spade finesse was in the heart division hadn’t been kind declarer may have reserve. needed a winning spade finesse of ♠J to make his contract.

If East had led a spade, declarer would have tried ♠Q. With it failing he would have fallen back on the 3-3 diamond break.