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TALES OF AKARANA

WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE “BOSS” SUIT?

You like to have a handful of spades. They are pretty good to have in any competitive auction. Yet, this suit did not get a look-in in either of the hands which follow. However, the possessor of the ace of this suit determined which way the imps would flow.

Watch the cat and mouse game on this board from the North seat:

Spade-small J43

Heart-small AQ9

Diamond-smallJT974

Club-small Q4                            Vul. N/S

West          North         East            South

                                      1Club-small              1Heart-small

2Diamond-small              2Heart-small            3Club-small              3Heart-small

4Club-small              ?

Are you still there? No-one is allowed to pass! Who has the spades? Come on. It’s your bid.

West          North         East     South

                   4Heart-small              5Club-small    Pass   (the first one after 9 successive bids!)

Pass            ?

Who is making what and who has the Spade-smallA?

On our second exhibit, there are not so many bids to follow….but the same questions will remain. You are East and found your simple overcall lit a fuse on the other side of the table!

(All Vul)

                                       East

                                     Spade-small K73

                                     Heart-small 932

                                     Diamond-small AQJ763

                                     Club-small 9

West          North         East     South

                   1Heart-small              2Diamond-small       3Diamond-small1

4Heart-small              x                 5Diamond-small       5Heart-small

Pass            Pass            ?

1 heart raise

Who is making what and who has the Spade-smallA?

Not only is there a similarity in questions but perhaps in answers too. In the first hand given, the vulnerability was not in your favour. Despite having a fistful of diamonds, your hand is flat. Bidding on does not look right. Yet, are the opposition diving? The answer would have been “yes” had the clubs broken 3-1 but you knew they did not. Doubling 5Club-small proved not to be a good idea. Despite the vulnerability, passing was best.

Board 18
East Deals
N-S Vul
J 4 3
A Q 9
J 10 9 7 4
Q 4
8 5 2
J 2
A Q 8 5 3 2
K 3
 
N
W   E
S
 
A 7 6
10 3
K
A J 10 8 7 5 2
 
K Q 10 9
K 8 7 6 5 4
6
9 6
West North East South
    1  1 
2  2  3  3 
4  4  5  Pass
Pass Dbl All pass  

 

South led their singleton though with East in charge of spades and trumps breaking, it mattered not what South led. Two major cards disappeared on Diamond-smallAQ and 11 tricks were duly made. Holding the Spade-smallA was vital for East.

On the second hand given, you could be forgiven for cursing your partner! 4Heart-small showed great diamond support and that bid plus the opponents’ action indicated he was void in hearts. Yet, he left the final decision to you. It sounded like values all round..but who had the Spade-smallA? You did not seem to have enough to bid and make 6Diamond-small. Would 5Heart-small make? Partner has some value. So, you decided to take your chances by doubling, the right action this night though on others 6Diamond-small (sacrificing) or pass might be correct. The Spade-smallA was with….

Board 29
North Deals
Both Vul
A Q 8 4
A J 10 8 6 4
10
5 4
6 5
K 9 5 4 2
K Q 8 7 6 3
 
N
W   E
S
 
K 7 3
9 3 2
A Q J 7 6 3
9
 
J 10 9 2
K Q 7 5
8
A J 10 2
West North East South
  1  2  3 
4  Dbl 5  5 
Pass Pass Dbl All pass

 

...the opening bidder. The 1-1 diamond break and the losing spade finesse combined to beat 5Heart-small by one trick, with 6Diamond-small also suffering a one trick loss. Would West have bid 6Diamond-small holding the Club-smallA instead of KQ? We hope so.

In both deals, the declaring hands had 22 hcp, not that the number of high card points had any direct bearing on the results at the table. What did was the location of that “boss” suit ace.

boss suit 2.pngboss suit ace.png

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

 

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