September 2022 - 66

Advanced Players
My Bridge and Yours
E
xperienced declarers know the
benefits of running a long suit
and forcing the defenders to
find discards. Even if the defenders
are not legitimately squeezed, they
may err. The effect of running a long
suit can be unexpected, something I
have learned in my years of analyzing
and writing about deals.
In a local club duplicate, neither
side is vulnerable, and as South, the
dealer, I hold:
K 6 kK J 10 6 4 2 l8 4 3 'J 10.
It looks like a 2k opening to me.
Some players treat weak two-bids as
solely obstructive and have abandoned
the textbook requirements.
They open 2k with five-card suits,
side voids, four cards in the other major
and other flaws. They believe that
the times they talk the opponents out
of a game outweigh those when they
induce partner to misjudge.
My feeling is that the effect of a
preemptive call is hard to predict. It
may disrupt the opponents; it may
impel them to bid with all the more
determination, reach an unlikely
contract and help them make it. But I
am certain that an undisciplined preempt
will leave your partner unable
to judge.
When I open 2k, my partner raises
to 4k, and all pass.
West leads a trump.
Dlr: South  A 7 4 3
Vul: None k A Q
l A 7 6 5 2
' Q 4
 K 6
k K J 10 6 4 2
l 8 4 3
' J 10
66 | Bridge Bulletin | September 2022
BY FRANK STEWART
frs1016@centurylink.net
West North East
South
2k
Pass 4k All Pass
North knows my views about weak
two-bids. If he were playing with a
free-wheeling partner, he would have
passed 2k, hoping we weren't too
high. Indeed, I might have held the
'K instead of the 'J, and then 4k
would be cold.
As it is, the contract looks hopeless.
I have two clubs and two diamonds
to lose. With little choice, I cash five
rounds of trumps, pitching two clubs
and a diamond from dummy. West
lets go of two clubs, East discards
three. Then I lead my last trump in
this position:
 A 7 4 3
k -
l A 7 6 5
' -
 Q 10 5
k -
l K Q
' K 7 6
 K 6
k 2
l 8 4 3
' J 10
West throws another club, and
dummy pitches a diamond. East
can turn in his sword. If he discards
a spade, I can take the K A and
concede a spade, setting up dummy's
fourth spade for a diamond discard
(or a club because the defenders can't
untangle their club tricks). If East
discards a diamond, I win a second
diamond. If he throws the 'A, I get a
club trick. Plus 420! The full deal:
 J 9 8 2
k -
l J 10 9
' A
 Q 10 5
k 7 5 3
l K Q
' K 7 6 5 3
 A 7 4 3
k A Q
l A 7 6 5 2
' Q 4
 J 9 8 2
k 9 8
l J 10 9
' A 9 8 2
 K 6
k K J 10 6 4 2
l 8 4 3
' J 10
As it happened, I could have led
a diamond after taking just five
rounds of trumps. The defenders still
couldn't cash both their high clubs,
and I would have time to set up a diamond
trick for a club discard.
West's trump lead was reasonable
but unlucky. Any other lead would
have beaten 4k.
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September 2022

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