Hi ,

Here is a challenge hand written by Jack Stocken. This is the first in a series of fun hands Jack is putting together for us which we'll share via the newsletter over this upcoming year. Enjoy!

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Finding the Lady by Jack Stocken

Most experienced players would not overcall on West’s hand with a meagre nine points, a balanced 5332 shape and only a five card suit. Most overcalls at the two level should promise a decent six card suit.

North was between a negative double (promising four spades) and bidding his diamonds. In the end he decided spades could wait and he is still waiting!

East assumed his partner had a six card suit for the overcall so bid to the Level of the Fit, 5♣, which would only have been three down, doubled and not vulnerable, just 500. After South bid 5♥ all on his own, North, with three important high cards, punted 6♥.

Play through the hand

West led the ace of clubs which declarer trumped in hand and drew the trumps.  The fate of the contract depended on finding the queen of spades but declarer saw an extra chance if diamonds were 3 – 3 as two spades could go away on the long diamonds.

So at trick four, declarer ducked a diamond to East’s jack. Ducking here was necessary as it created an extra entry to dummy and also follows the maxim “If you are going to lose a trick, lose it early”.

East returned a club, ruffed in hand by declarer who then played ace of diamonds and another. Declarer was disappointed to see diamonds divide 4 – 2 as he now had to guess who had the queen of spades.

West had shown up with the ace of clubs and just the queen of diamonds so was odds on to have the queen of spades to give him enough points for the 2♣ overcall.

Thus declarer cashed the ace of spades in case East had a singleton queen and then led the jack of spades, West played low in tempo and low from dummy. Declarer cashed the king of spades and the long spade so 6♥ made.

Note that 6♠ is a better contract than 6♥ as declarer does not need to guess the queen of spades, unless a diamond is led.

We'd love to hear from you. Leave a question or comment here: https://www.youtube.com/post/Ugkxr6YUpswD316R7ntVCsMjvfzbWuJv2dja

Keep learning with Jack! Join one of his classes here.

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Spaces still available for our upcoming supervised play sessions on Thursday/Friday and next Monday. Both sessions are discounted for members of all classes.

Supervised Play Session with Oliver Powell

Thursday at 3:30pm NY time / 8:30pm UK time / Friday at 9:30am, NZ time

(View in your timezone)

$1 or £1 for members / $5 or £4 or non-members

Register Here

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Supervised Play Session with India Leeming

Monday at 11:30am NY time / 4:30pm UK time 

(view in your timezone)

$1 or £1 for members / $5 or £4 or non-members

Register Here

Both sessions are discounted for members of all classes.

We hope to see you there!

Yours partner in learning,

Bajir from LBO