Currently in The Netherlands there’s the buzz of a possible “Elf Steden Tocht” (a 200 km ice skating tour thru eleven cities). Well, here in Berkeley, CA that feels like an event on another planet. It did stir the old viking in me, though. My appetite for snow and cold was in slumber for a long time, perhaps it’s time to check out Tahoe for my cold cravings.
Here are two deals from Quicktricks, I was playing with Jo Ginsberg.
South
K5
75
T52
QT9762
West
North
East
South
1NT1
pass
2 
pass
2 
pass
3 2
2pass
4 
3
3pass
4
pass
4NT4
pass
5 
5
5pass
6
a.p.
2. 5-5
GF3. Cuebid agreeing
4. RKC
5. 3 Key cards
I let the auction sink in and finger my cards. Of course I’m going to lead a minor, but which one? I’m holding six
myself, so the odds declarer (Geoff) has shortness there seems … plausible. I lead a .West Dealer
NS Vul
North
J863
Q9
KJ983
K4
West
QT
J643
AQ74
A53
East
A9742
AKT82
6
J8
South
K5
75
T52
QT9762
Ace and ran the Queen to me. I continued but he ruffed and drew trumps. He crossed to dummy in and rode the Ten. Then after ruffing a his other two high provided parking spots for both losers in dummy.Big kudos for my teammates who replicated the auction, play and result.
Here the ground we stood upon fell apart.
South
AQJ73
A85
AKQT8
-
West
North
East
South
pass
3
4 1
15
pass
pass
dbl2
pass
5
pass
6 3
3a.p.
+ Major2. Extra values
3. I totally & utterly zoned out
Why did I zone out? Because I haven’t disclosed what my Major is, thus 5
is pass or correct. Jo ended up playing in a silly 4-3 fit while we had a massive 5-5 fit between us.North Dealer
NS Vul
North
T9652
AJ64
92
84
West
4
QT73
J543
AT72
East
K8
92
76
KQJ9653
South
AQJ73
A85
AKQT8
-
by East. Our opponents got to the small slam in , on a 6 board match that’s almost impossible to recover from.
Jannes, on the first hand one could make the argument that the fact that you had six clubs meant you should lead a club because a club was more likely to go away than a diamond. But certainly a club lead from Q109xxx was not super attractive either.
On the second hand I actually did not hold the eight of spades and that’s the tricky card my LHO led, holding K8 tight. That was quite a lead! Sadly I did not work it out at the table and decided if my LHO was 1-3-3-6 I could make 6
if my RHO had started with Qxx of hearts. It wasn’t a very good shot, but I thought it was better than playing my LHO to have led the 8 of spades from K8! -Jo
FTFY