December 2010 - 56

Mike's Advice
763
AJ62
 J 10 3
AJ3
 A 10
Q9843
KQ9
 K Q 10

Mike Lawrence
www.michaelslawrence.com

Careful play at trick one
I have written a lot about the advan‑
tages of not using Stayman when you
have a balanced hand.
Sitting South, as dealer, you have
this ordinary 16‑count with both sides
vulnerable:
A 10 Q 9 8 4 3 K Q 9 K Q 10.
Having balanced shape and having
all the suits stopped, the player hold‑
ing this hand opened 1NT. This seems
like a decent idea. I am adverse to
opening 1NT with five spades, but
with five hearts, strong notrump val‑
ues and all the suits stopped, 1NT is a
great choice. There are some obvious
reasons for this and one less‑than‑ob‑
vious reason: The 10 is a potentially
good card. If partner has as little as
J-x-x in spades, there are two stop‑
pers if West leads the suit. Also, if
dealer starts with 1, he'll have no
good rebid after a 1 response.
North bid 3NT, ending the auction.
West led the5. Surprised? Here is
the layout:
See next column
I rather like North's 3NT bid. He has
no shape and he has enough points
that game is likely. West's lead of the
56 Bridge Bulletin December 2010

5, however, is unexpected. How
do you play? If you are still thinking
about the bidding and wondering why
you are not in a cold 4, your reac‑
tion is normal but not constructive.
Spend your energy trying to make 3NT.
Here's a hint. West has led from the
K, as expected, given the lead. This
means you can finesse at trick one
successfully.
What is your plan? Do not read fur‑
ther until you decide.
Ready? Here is the full deal:

Q84
 K 10 7 5
864
972

763
AJ62
 J 10 3
AJ3
N

W E
S

KJ952
-
A752
8654

 A 10
Q9843
KQ9
 K Q 10

Here is what our declarer did. He
played low from dummy. East showed
out and South won the first heart with
the 8, so West still had a heart stopper
with his remaining K-10-7.
South could have taken nine tricks
by next playing on diamonds. That
would give him a spade, three hearts,

two diamonds, and three clubs. But
South noted there were heart tricks to
be had, so he led a second heart and
finessed the jack. Next he played the
A and conceded a heart to West.
West, by now, had gotten the mes‑
sage that spades was the suit to
attack, so he led one, setting up the
suit for East. East later got in with the
A, and that was worth down one.
Because most players were in 4
making four, making nine tricks in
3NT would have been a poor score.
That was the excuse South used
when it was pointed out that he had
been cold for 3NT. Someone else then
pointed out that an original spade
lead would have set 3NT, given that
West is able to stop the heart suit.
South was not sure who to believe at
that point.
He was lucky that no one had point‑
ed out that he was cold for 11 tricks
in notrump after the lead of the 5.
How do you make 5NT on these cards
given that you get a heart lead and
not a devastating spade lead?
Look at the hand diagram carefully.
At trick one, play the 6 from dummy.
If West has all four hearts, the 6 will
win. Now South can take four more
heart tricks because he still has the
9 and 8 to use as "finessers" against
West. South's careless play at trick
one cost him a valuable spot card by
making him use the 8 sooner than
necessary.
r
Thanks to Dave Hudson of Florida
for sending me this deal. In case
someone remembers the actual layout, I admit to have taken a few
liberties in creating this one.
http://www.michaelslawrence.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2010
