Lucky Slam

butler scoring
Step Bridge
Jan 04, 2004

Although better bidding and play will probably pay off in the long run, sometimes its better to be a lucky player than a good player. Luck was on my side when I picked up the following nice hand:

- AKxxx AQ10xx Axx

I open 1, partner responds 1, and rebid 2. Although my hand was very good, I wanted to stay low to hear more about partners hand. This she did, as she showed a moderate hand by rebidding 2NT. As I was playing with someone I didn't know, I did not have the tools to have a scientific auctions. So I just bid what I thought I could make... 6. Ofcourse, I wouldn't have bid the slam if I knew that my partner had the following hand:

QJ10x xx Kxx J9xx

Obviously a beginners mistake. 2NT promised 10/11 points and her rebid should have been 2. However, the contract is not completely hopeless. Before giving partner a lesson in bidding think about how you would play on a trump lead?

The clubs need to be played for 1 loser. This can be done if either opponent has KQ doubleton or to play east for Q10 or K10 doubleton. As the latter is more likely, start with a small club towards J9, for the 10, jack, and king. Later, the queen falls under the ace and the 9 is high. Should east jump op with the queen, you can cross to dummy and play the club jack pinning the 10.

Besides the intra-finesse in clubs, of course hearts also have to be 3-3 and diamonds 3-2, which luckily they were in practice. Well bid partner ;-)