Bridge: June 12, 2019

At the Spring NABC, Jeff Wolfson-Steve Garner, Michael Becker-Michael Kamil and Peter Crouch-Alex Hydes won the venerable Vanderbilt Teams, beating Nick Nickell’s perennial contenders in a well-played final, 127 to 102.

In today’s deal, North-South for NICKELL reached four spades. (North’s raise to game, not vulnerable, was hungry.) West cashed the K-A of diamonds, then led the nine of clubs, ducked to East’s king.

South could have succeeded by unblocking his queen. He could later finesse with dummy’s ten and pitch his heart loser on the ace.

DOWN ONE

Instead, South followed with the deuce, won the club return and ruffed his queen of diamonds in dummy to throw a heart on the ace of clubs. East got his king of trumps: down one.

In the replay, WOLFSON’s South raised North’s 1NT response to 2NT, maybe a better bid with all those secondary honors. North went to 3NT! East led a heart, won by the ten, and when the spades came in, North had nine tricks, 10 IMPs to WOLFSON.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 9 3 H K J 6 4 D 10 5 2 C K 6 5. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart, he bids one spade and you try 1NT. Partner then bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: This case is close. Your partner has extra strength; after your discouraging 1NT bid, he would not act a third time with a minimum hand and persist in trying to reach game. You have 10 points when you might have had fewer. Bid 2NT and leave open chances for game.

East dealer

Neither side vulnerable

NORTH

S 10 6

H Q 10 8 7

D 7 6

C A 10 7 4 3

WEST

S 8 7

H 9 3 2

D A K 9 4 3

C J 9 8

EAST

S K 9 3

H K J 6 4

D 10 5 2

C K 6 5

SOUTH

S A Q J 5 4 2

H A 5

D Q J 8

C Q 2

East South West North

Pass 1 S Pass 1 NT

Pass 3 S Pass 4 S(!)

All Pass

Opening lead — D K

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