Dubious Logic

Suffolk v Essex (2) - Solid Suits

Solid suits are things of rare beauty. All those worries about a fit are solved when you pick up your cards. The only trouble is getting your partner on the same wavelength. Sometimes it is easy; from the recent Essex v Suffolk county match:

A wonderful advertisement for the 'Gambling three no-trump'. West announces a long (seven plus), solid minor with nothing very much outside and leaves East to make the partnership decisions. Here, it was easy; with two aces to bring the trick total to nine and a stop in the fourth suit, pass was easy and game made.

Of course not every hand with a with a solid suit has such an easy expression; make it a little stronger and it becomes more difficult, sometimes, much more difficult. In the Acol system, opening with a strong bid and then jumping in a suit shows solidity. West might have used that device below (from the same match) but perhaps he was worried he was light for his first bid:

Two diamonds showed any strong hand so the three level was the first chance to bid the suit naturally. East had a suitable hand with his aces and control bidding got them to slam. Six diamonds is a fair contract and it seemed to improve when the opening lead of the heart ten went low, queen, king. Eleven tricks are now on view, how would you take it from there?

The Essex declarer played a heart at trick two and discovered the opening leader had led a singleton – bad luck? Perhaps, a little. The full deal:

It looks safe to cross to dummy's ten of trumps and play ace and queen of clubs, throwing spades. If North wins that he can do nothing dangerous. But are you so sure that it is North who has short hearts? With the queen of hearts appearing at trick one, could not that be the singleton? Good play from South – playing the "card he was know to hold". The club play is better as it has an extra chance when hearts break 6-1 - that South has the club king even if the wrong player has heart shortage.

Published Saturday 29.Mar.2008