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Andrew:
The Ninth Trump
The main focus in the bidding is to locate an
eight-card fit, especially in a major (where game requires fewer tricks). However, do not underestimate the power of the ninth trump, especially when you have a weakish distributional hand.
Consider this auction:
| South |
North |
|
1 ♣ 2 ♥ |
1 ♥ ? |
| North Hand (i) | North Hand (ii) |
|
♠ Q642 ♥ QJ73 ♦ A642 ♣ 5 |
♠ Q642 ♥ QJ732 ♦ A64 ♣ 5 |
Both hands have nine points — the same points. The only difference is ♦ 2 and ♥ 2. But what a difference! I would pass 2 ♥ on (i) and bid 4 ♥ on (ii). That fifth heart — making a nine-card fit (assuming partner has raised with four hearts not three, which is not a certainty) — is massive.
Give opener a typical hand:
| South Hand |
|
♠ A5 ♥ K864 ♦ 97 ♣ AJ742 |
4 ♥ is close to hopeless facing North (i). Even making 2 ♥ is no cinch. Facing (ii), however, 4 ♥ has good chances...
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North Deals None Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| 1 ♣ | Pass | 1 ♥ | |
| Pass | 2 ♥ | Pass | 4 ♥ |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
| 4 ♥ by South |
| Lead: ♦ Q |
| Made 4 |
Duck West’s ♦ Q lead (winning is fine too), and win ♦ J with ♦ A. At trick three, cross to ♠ A and lead ♠ 5 towards ♠ Q. East wins ♠ K and (say) switches to ♥ 9.
Cover ♥ 9 with ♥ J, and see West duck (best). Now ruff ♦ 6, cash ♣ A, ruff ♣ 2, cash ♠ Q (throwing ♣ 4), ruff ♠ 6 with ♥ 8 (West discarding ♣ 10) and lead ♥ K. West can win ♥ A and lead ♣ K but you ruff and score the last trick with ♥ Q, beating West’s ♥ 10. Ten tricks and game made — with roughly average luck. Spades co-operated: ♠ K onside in a 4-3 split; but hearts were 3-1 as opposed to 2-2.
Now move South’s ♥ 2 to make it ♦ 2. You might scramble nine tricks in a heart contract. You might not. You won’t make 4 ♥ though, provided East-West defend sensibly
