Dealer South. North - South Vul. Difficulty level: Medium
You opened a light 1♦, not realizing that your next bid will come at the 7th level! West lead the ♥K.
- What do you get from East's 6♥ bid?
- Why did you double 6♥?
- Why do you think East doubled 7♦?
- Why did you bid 7NT?
- You have 13 tricks on the paper. But you need them in the bag... How do you play this crazy hand?
- What do you get from East's 6♥ bid?
Pre-emptive, preventing N-S to find their contract, realizing they are likely to make a small slam and willing to sacrifice given the favorable vulnerability. If doubled, and even with West having only a 5-5 split and minimum hand, E-W are not likely to go more than 3 down , which is a better score than any game made by N-S. - Why did you double 6♥?
All your points are in West's suits. That makes your hand more defensive than offensive. Pass would be more encouraging for partner to bid (forcing pass, leaving the decision for North whether to double or bid on, showing offensive values). Double shows a real interest to stop in 6♥ doubled. - Why do you think East doubled 7♦?
Lightner double. Asking West to lead his other long suit (not heart). - Why did you bid 7NT?
As the bidding went, it's surely a crazy hand. So trusting all players for their bids, you can reach these conclusions:
- East has a great heart fit (E-W have 11 or 12 hearts together), and almost certainly a void in club for his double.
- Partner, on the other hand, must have all 3 missing aces for pulling out your double on 6♥, and great diamonds with offensive hand.
- So you count tricks: 1spade (the ace), 1 heart (the ace), 6 diamonds and 5 clubs = 13 tricks, right? - You have 13 tricks on the paper. But you need them
in the bag... How do you play this crazy hand?
Yes, you have 13 tricks. But to take them is another story. You have serious entry problems: The moment you reach dummy - There is no way back to you hand. So the solution must be: never to reach dummy!
How can that be, as most good cards are lying in dummy? "Simple!" Throw the ♣A on the ♥K lead and win the ♥A in hand. That is a good start, but your problems are not over yet:
- If you cash all your clubs, throwing 5 spades losers from dummy, you will still lose the last spade trick, having another small spade in dummy. So what now?
- "Simple!" Play all your clubs and throw all your good diamonds from dummy (YES! Throw the ♦AKQJ10 as losers!). Partner will think you are crazy, but crazy actions are needed on a crazy hand. And now, the moment you managed to get rid of the annoying diamonds in dummy - you have 6 high diamonds in hand!
- Play all your good diamonds and throw all your losing spades from dummy. The ♠A is your 13th trick!
Things to remember:
- A lightner double is asking partner to lead another suit (not the agreed suit, or his bid suit). Normally it asks him to lead dummy's 1st bid suit, suggesting to have values over dummy, or void in that suit. On other occasions, like here, when dummy didn't bid a suit, the lightner double asks partner to lead his (other) long suit, suggesting a void.
- A club lead by West will hold you to 9 tricks... You have no entry to hand. East will let you win he last 2 tricks in hand, after he cashes all his good spades...
- Use a favorable vulnerability and good fit to jump immediately as high as you planned to be. If you wait, opponents will exchange information and will have an easier life to decide later if to bid on, or punish you. If you jump early enough, they will have to guess what to do.
- 6♥ can be set only on a ♥A lead and diamond or spade continuation. Any other way - East can promote West's clubs. 6♥ played from West's side in untouchable!
- Sometimes you need to throw high cards to solve entry problems.
