How Well do You Play Your Voids?

Pairs, May 1, 2006

	A Q T 7 x A x x x Q x x x
K J x x K x x x T x x x x		x x x x x x A J x A Q x x
	- Q J x K x x x x x K J x x

This was quite an annoying hand for many people as many EW pairs played in spades after a 2 opener by west showing both majors and a weak hand who then found all opposing trumps stacked in one hand. Usually EW pairs went a couple of tricks down.

The bidding at our table is best to be forgotten, as I also ended in a spade contract, but a the 3 level and as south (which you probably already guessed from the title). Before kicking partner in the butt for leaving me in a cuebid, I tried to make the most of the hand (something you should always do).

The diamond 10 lead went to my king, which was followed by a successful heart finesse for the queen, king, and ace. East immediately jumped up with the club ace when I next played a small club from the table. East continued with a heart for my jack. A diamond went to the queen and ace and east exited with a club. The club finesse was succesful, and a heart was discarded on the club king. I was then allowed to trump a diamond with the spade 7 and could exit with a heart. That was already 6 tricks (1 spade, 2 hearts, 1 diamond, 2 clubs) and I just needed a double spade finesse for my contract, i.e., exit with a heart, ruff with the spade 10, exit with a small spade, and take another spade finesse.

Of course, the defense slipped up a few times, but else there was no story. East could have defeated me by ducking his club ace once and then lock me in dummy afterwards so that I had to loose two hearts. West could have trumped higher, so that I could not make the spade 7.