Friday, March 05, 2004 4:21 AM

Hand Evaluation – Visualization ( Slam Hands )

PITBULLS:

Defending slams are no different from anything else. Think patterns so you can count tricks . Review the auction no matter how complicated to establish your “blueprint”. Two interesting slam hands came up today with a lesson attached , you hear the auction go

1♠ - p – 3♦ - p

3♥ - p – 4♣ -P

4NT – p – 5♥ -p

6♠ all pass .

The 3 ♦ was conventional showing a limit raise in spades .You decide to go passive with this hand ♠xx ♥xx ♦KJxx ♣Kxxxx , lead a trump & the board comes down with

♠ Kxxx ♥ xx ♦ Q109 ♣ AQJx

Declarer wins your trump lead in his hand , crosses to the spade King & everybody follows. He plays A♣ , Q♣ discarding a diamond so you are in . Now what ? As usual , patterns are your guide with assistance from the way declarer is playing the hand . When declarers heart bid was natural showing 4 or 5 hearts declarer is either 5-5-2-1 or 5-4-3-1 . With either of those patterns , if declarer has the diamond Ace , you are not getting a diamond trick as the next diamond is getting discarded on the ♣J . OK the worst case scenerio is you finesse yourself out of the diamond King when declarer has Ace 4^th of diamonds. Wait a minute - if declarer has ♦Axxx opposite ♦Q109 , would he be trying for quick pitches on the club suit ? You win your club , lead a diamond back to partners Ace & beat the slam otherwise they make 6 off two cashable diamonds. Declarer did not Q bid 4♦ over 4♣ because he did not have a diamond control !! Very bad bidding but a good result for him , if you are not on your toes.

Another hand ♠xx ♥Qxxxxx ♦xxxx ♣x , the auction goes

1♠ - p – 3♦ ( splinter ) – 4NT

6♠ - p – p – x

What do you lead ? Partner has advertised probably 6-6 in the minors . A heart void is very likely with the lead directing double . Golden rule : when partner is not making a lead directing double you should treat it as one anyway. You lead a heart , partner ruffs & cashes the diamond Ace . Any other lead , the slam makes. The lesson on both these hands is translating bidding into patterns to assist you . With the help of declarers line of play & partner’s double you beat both slams as you have a blueprint to follow..

As an aside there is another rule . When the opponents freely bid a slam other than when your side owns the auction & they are in an obvious sacrificing situation , penalty doubles do not exist . When the opening leader doubles , he is “asking permission” to sacrifice by way of a D.S.I.P. double . When the other partner doubles , it is lead directing. You do not try to “punish” freely bid slams by the opponents. Just take your plus & go on to the other hand. This leaves doubles of freely bid slams to have other meanings.