[AL78]

MPs, I was West.

---

South is one of the weaker players and given she overcalled and there are 12 missing HCP, I decided to play her for all of them (I was a little surprised the spade finesse failed). What happened here is the sort of thing I would fall for if I wasn't completely focused. On the run of the diamonds she saw me throw two heart spot cards followed by the king, but it doesn't look like suspicions were aroused or asked herself why throw the heart king. When I cashed my two top spades, she was still looking at the heart queen in dummy, hadn't twigged or worked out I had voided myself in hearts so couldn't get to dummy and she refused to part with the heart ace so threw her slow club winner. 3NT+2 was a top.

I thought this hand was interesting, not because I pulled a fast one, but because in the case of club bridge and the usual standard you find in my region, being alert to this sort of thing and seeing it coming is difficult. It requires concentration through counting, paying attention to partner's count signals, alerting oneself to odd plays or discards by declarer and trying to consider why, and after all that, being confident enough to recognise that ace is worthless and must be discarded to keep a valuable holding in another suit. I have sympathy for South because if I am playing bridge after a full day at work, I can let my thought processes slip and do things like this, and I realise after I have done them.

What was also interesting on this round was that on the next board, I had the opportunity to attempt a genuine automatic squeeze which I spotted from very early on. The squeeze shouldn't have worked because the hand with long hearts didn't hold the diamond king, but South holding ♥8743 threw one when I ran the trumps, so my ♥AKQ5 opposite ♥T6 made four tricks at the end.

[mikeh]

AL78, on 2026-January-24, 13:15, said:

MPs, I was West.

---

South is one of the weaker players and given she overcalled and there are 12 missing HCP, I decided to play her for all of them (I was a little surprised the spade finesse failed). What happened here is the sort of thing I would fall for if I wasn't completely focused. On the run of the diamonds she saw me throw two heart spot cards followed by the king, but it doesn't look like suspicions were aroused or asked herself why throw the heart king. When I cashed my two top spades, she was still looking at the heart queen in dummy, hadn't twigged or worked out I had voided myself in hearts so couldn't get to dummy and she refused to part with the heart ace so threw her slow club winner. 3NT+2 was a top.

I thought this hand was interesting, not because I pulled a fast one, but because in the case of club bridge and the usual standard you find in my region, being alert to this sort of thing and seeing it coming is difficult. It requires concentration through counting, paying attention to partner's count signals, alerting oneself to odd plays or discards by declarer and trying to consider why, and after all that, being confident enough to recognise that ace is worthless and must be discarded to keep a valuable holding in another suit. I have sympathy for South because if I am playing bridge after a full day at work, I can let my thought processes slip and do things like this, and I realise after I have done them.

What was also interesting on this round was that on the next board, I had the opportunity to attempt a genuine automatic squeeze which I spotted from very early on. The squeeze shouldn't have worked because the hand with long hearts didn't hold the diamond king, but South holding ♥8743 threw one when I ran the trumps, so my ♥AKQ5 opposite ♥T6 made four tricks at the end.

Well done but I think you’re being a little unkind to South. Of course the 2C overcall is grotesque even though I’m a big believer in being aggressive in this one situation…1D to me. 2C can make life very difficult when LHO has only one major…either 1 four card major or even a longer one when lacking the strength for 2M.

But here…consider. They’re red, you’re white. You have 4 or 5 tricks on defence in your own hand and partner opened in second seat. I’d have passed 2C and passed again when partner, as she should with that hand, reopens with a double. You carve it up, definitely beating +460. It’s either 500 or 800 depending on how declarer plays and most weak players underplay hopeless doubled contracts.

But onto the unfairness part. How would you have played with AK10x KJxx J10 KQx….a hand on which a penalty pass is less attractive than on your actual holding? North is following helplessly in diamonds and South has to make her fatal pitch before north can play on the last diamond…so even if they have methods, he can’t use them (some expert pairs send info by way of tge order in which they follow in diamonds but I’d be surprised if a club level partnership did that).

Couldn’t partner hold Qxxx 10xx xxxx 1098?

Now pitching the heart costs a trick.

[AL78]

I didn't think of a penalty pass, I wanted to show strength and interest in at least one of the majors and if partner comes back with a more hand compatible bid like 2♠, I am thinking of looking for slam. Now you mention it, I will look out for the opportunity in future given at this club, there are a handful that will bid on any excuse including when they shouldn't.

[AL78]

mikeh, on 2026-January-24, 13:28, said:

But onto the unfairness part. How would you have played with AK10x KJxx J10 KQx….a hand on which a penalty pass is less attractive than on your actual holding? North is following helplessly in diamonds and South has to make her fatal pitch before north can play on the last diamond…so even if they have methods, he can’t use them (some expert pairs send info by way of tge order in which they follow in diamonds but I’d be surprised if a club level partnership did that).

Couldn’t partner hold Qxxx 10xx xxxx 1098?

Now pitching the heart costs a trick.

I didn't follow you here but after reading it a couple more times I see what you are saying, if I could have that hand, throw ♥xxK and still have the jack left, it is tough for South to find the right discard. I didn't think of that, thank you for the illustrative example, this is why I am intermediate and you are world class (and why I should be hesitant about trying to analyse bridge hands without some input from a better player).

[Cyberyeti]

Also, had you cashed the 2 spade winners before doing what you did, you could have made the tricks by force with a genuine squeeze

[AL78]

Cyberyeti, on 2026-January-24, 13:56, said:

Also, had you cashed the 2 spade winners before doing what you did, you could have made the tricks by force with a genuine squeeze

Well spotted. I saw the position but got the timing wrong, oh well, must pay attention next time.

[jillybean]

mikeh, on 2026-January-24, 13:28, said:

Well done but I think you’re being a little unkind to South. Of course the 2C overcall is grotesque even though I’m a big believer in being aggressive in this one situation…1D to me. 2C can make life very difficult when LHO has only one major…either 1 four card major or even a longer one when lacking the strength for 2M.

But here…consider. They’re red, you’re white. You have 4 or 5 tricks on defence in your own hand and partner opened in second seat. I’d have passed 2C and passed again when partner, as she should with that hand, reopens with a double. You carve it up, definitely beating +460. It’s either 500 or 800 depending on how declarer plays and most weak players underplay hopeless doubled contracts.

Deja vu. This could be the hand I held, board#2 in my very first Regional, Team Game but I think the clubs are better.
I happily bid 2C red vs. white, LHO X, partner XX. Oh! he thinks I can make it. pass pass pass. end of match