“Avoidance” is declarer’s technique of preventing a “dangerous” defender — one who can make a damaging lead — from getting in.
Today’s South opens 1NT, and North-South reach 3NT with a routine Stayman sequence. West leads a low heart, and East plays the ten. Declarer wins with the jack and knows that West is lurking with the A-Q and more hearts, and if East gets in, bad things may happen.
South has eight top tricks: a heart in the bag, four clubs, a diamond and two spades. He needs a third spade and must set up dummy’s fourth spade without letting East win a trick.
LUCKY LIE
South needs a lucky lie of the spades as well as correct play. At Trick Two he leads a spade, and when West follows with the four, South wins in dummy, returns a club to his hand and leads a second spade.
If West plays the ten, declarer takes the king and leads a third spade to West. If West were to play the queen on the second (or first) spade lead, dummy would play low.
This week: avoidance.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A K 7 2 H 9 8 D 8 7 5 C J 10 7 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two diamonds and you return to two hearts. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?
ANSWER: When partner bids again despite your weak preference, he shows game interest. He would not go to the three level just to show a fifth diamond. You have no honors in his suits, but you have a fair hand and black-suit stoppers. Bid 3NT.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A K 7 2
H 9 8
D 8 7 5
C J 10 7 3
WEST
S Q 10 4
H A Q 4 3 2
D K 6 2
C 8 6
EAST
S J 8 6
H 10 7 5
D Q J 9 4
C 9 5 2
SOUTH
S 9 5 3
H K J 6
D A 10 3
C A K Q 4
South West North East
1 NT Pass 2 C Pass
2 D Pass 2 NT Pass
3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — H 3
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Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
