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Baseball fans are used to hearing the announcer say that in every game played, there is something new. It seems the same way at bridge. Not only is every deal a new adventure, but I often see new themes, such as on this deal from the 2008 Atlanta regional:
♠ 9 7
♥ A Q 4
♦ 9 7
♣ A K Q 7 5 2
You hold these South cards and open 1♣ with both vulnerable. Left-hand opponent bids 2♣ to show the majors. Partner doubles. The typical meaning of a double of a Michaels
cuebid is “penalty-oriented.” Partner is out for blood. RHO doesn’t choose a major. He bids 2♦. What’s that? I like to play it as natural — RHO has
his own diamond suit and doesn’t wish to choose a major. (Reminder: Discuss with your partner not only what 2♦ means, but what would redouble and pass mean after the double of the Michaels cuebid.) Anyway, you now have a problem.
You could pass, which should be forcing. Partner is not allowed to double and then sell out on the two level. You could bid 3♣, but your hand might be too strong — there is no reason for 3♣ to be forcing. You could also bid 2♥ (LHO’s suit) to show something there. This could be a good It’s Your Call problem in that there are arguments for and against all of those calls. I’ll spare you the agony and tell you that you end up in 7♣!
LHO leads the ♥J and you see:
| ♠ A K Q 3 | ||
| ♥ K 6 3 | ||
| ♦ A 5 4 | ||
| ♣ 10 9 4 | ||
| ♠ 9 7 | ||
| ♥ A Q 4 | ||
| ♦ 9 7 | ||
| ♣ A K Q 7 5 2 | ||
You are in an excellent contract. I would have two initial thoughts. One, I can claim unless clubs are 4–0 (six clubs, one diamond, three hearts, three spades for 13 top tricks). Two,
what the heck was West doing making a vulnerable Michaels bid, with so few high-card points?
West must have extreme distribution — not your ordinary 5–5 hand. Should you assume he is void in clubs and run the ♣10 on the first round?
No. West could conceivably have a singleton (or doubleton) ♣J. There is no reason to risk a first-round club finesse. You can always pick up four clubs to the jack onside as long as
you are careful. So, how will you be careful?
You win the ♥A in hand and lay down the ♣A. If all follow, you claim. If LHO shows out, as he does in real life, I hope you had the foresight to unblock dummy’s ♣10 or 9 under your own ace. If you played dummy’s ♣4 (seemingly less wasteful) on your ace, you are down! Here is the full deal.
| ♠ A K Q 3 | ||
| ♥ K 6 3 | ||
| ♦ A 5 4 | ||
| ♣ 10 9 4 | ||
| ♠ J 10 8 6 5 4 | ♠ 2 | |
| ♥ J 10 9 8 7 5 | ♥ 2 | |
| ♦ J | ♦ K Q 10 8 6 3 2 | |
| ♣ — | ♣ J 8 6 3 | |
| ♠ 9 7 | ||
| ♥ A Q 4 | ||
| ♦ 9 7 | ||
| ♣ A K Q 75 2 | ||
West (notice he is 6–6, no surprise) led the ♥J. You laid down the ♣A, seeing West show out. Watch what happens if you carelessly followed
with dummy’s ♣4 on your ace. You still can finesse against East’s ♣J, but your entries are bollixed. You cross to the ♠A to lead the ♣10. East covers! Ooops! Big trouble.
You can win and go to the ♣9 in dummy, but East still has a little trump. How will you draw it? You can’t get back to your hand. Try it!
Now, let’s do it the right way. At trick two, play the ♣A, and when West shows out, dump dummy’s ♣10. This can’t hurt and it can and does help! Cross in spades and play
the ♣9. East must cover. Now, go to the ♦A and play dummy’s last club. East remains with ♣8 6. You still have a high club and the ♣7 to finesse, finish drawing trump and then go back to dummy to take all your winners.
If you don’t see it, lay out the cards. It’s not every day that you see such an unblocking play, squandering your own good trump spots.