Friday, June 28, 2024

HSP: Answering The SOS

Suggested sound track: The Police, "Message In A Bottle" 

 "When I'm your partner, the secret to this game is to Help Stupid Partner." -- Steve B.

9
Q J 5 3
9 6 2
Q J 8 5 2
A 5
7 6
Q 10 8 5 4
10 7 6 4
N
WE
S
WestNorthEastSouth
   2 NT
Pass3 Pass3 
Pass3 NTAll pass 

You are West, on lead against 3 NT. Leading your fourth-best  5 seems clear. Dummy plays low; partner wins the trick with the  A, and declarer follows with the  3. So far, so good...

At trick two, partner leads the  K and declarer plays the the  7. Your play?

Look again... notice anything unusual? Still want to play that card?

ANSWER: Play the  10 -- the highest diamond you can afford -- as a suit-preference signal for spades.

Partner played her ace-king of diamonds in reverse order; the normal third-hand play would be the lowest of touching honors (the king), then the ace. Why the ace and then the king?

ANSWER: Partner played her honors in an unusual order to let you know that there is something unusual about the hand: in this case, it seems likely that she does not have a third diamond to return to you. South opened 2 NT (20-21 HCP), dummy has 6 HCP, and partner has shown 7 HCP. Partner knows that you must have an honor somewhere; she is asking for a suit-preference signal from you.

Partner sent an SOS. Did you get the message?

If you play the  4 at trick two, partner will interpret that as suit-preference low, and lead a club at trick three. If you play the  8, partner will interpret that as asking for a heart return. If partner returns a club or a heart, declarer will cash four heart tricks and five club tricks, making three notrump. Only if you play the  10 and get a spade lead at trick three, you will set 3 NT by two tricks (five diamond tricks and one spade trick).


9
Q J 5 3
9 6 2
Q J 8 5 2
A 5
7 6
Q 10 8 5 4
10 7 6 4
N
WE
S
8 7 6 4 3 2
10 9 8 4
A K
9
K Q J 10
A K 2
J 7 3
A K 3

-- Ray 
Better Bridge in 5 Minutes. Guaranteed! (or the next one is free) 

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