[mike777]

Dallas Quizes



1. Unfav….



AJT9xx J9x x xxx



2♣ 3NT p p

4♥ p ??



Your first pass showed a positive response which we define as holding at least 1 King. You’d have doubled otherwise. Your bid?





2. Favorable VUL, IMPs



3♠ p p 3NT

P 4♦* 4♠ X

P p p



*Transfer to hearts.



Tx Axx Axxx Axxx

KQ98xxx xx Jxx K



the lead is a middle diamond. Plan the play.

[SteveMoe]

Q1) If your discipline would make 4♠ a control bid in support of ♥ then that is what I would do. If unsure or not, then I bid 6♥ on the expectation that the 8-card fit and partner's 4 losers plus my putative 8 loser hand yields 12 tricks in ♥. Partner should work out to finesse LHO for any missing ♥ honor.

Q2)Win ♦Ace and play low ♣ to the K. Back to board with the ♥Ace and pitch the losing ♥ on the ♣Ace. If you are still whole, take out your empty spaces calculator and reckon that the odds are 10/18 that RHO might have the ♠J. However the bidding suggests all ♠ HCP are with RHO - the 3N bid usually assumes partner has 7 HCP. We hold 21 HCP. They hold 19 - and all of them are likely with RHO!!! Sooo...once I pitch the losing ♥ I lead the trump 10 (might induce a helpful cover) and finesse. Note: in the absence of the HCP inference about RHO's hand, the odds on play in the trump suit accounting for vacant spaces and entries to Dummy is to lead either card from dummy to the K/Q. The success rate is 58%. You have to decide whether the strength inference locates the trump jack in RHO, or not. I sense it does.