TEST YOUR PAIRS PLAY
To win at pairs you need a number of qualities but perhaps the most important
is the ability to concentrate equally on every board. Being able to think
quickly can come in useful as well. An aggressive bidding style is essential
and an understanding partner does not go amiss!
Now try your hand at these problems and see if you
have got what it takes to become a champion.
Problem 1
Dealer West; Game All
West North
East South
1H Pass 1NT
2S
?
West
S 7
H A K 8 5 3
D 8 7 5 4 2
C A K
Problem 2
Dealer South; Game All
West North
East South
1S
Pass 4S
5H 5S
6H ?
North
S T 8 7 6 5 4
H -
D 7 6
C A T 7 6 2
Problem 3
Dealer East; North-South Game
West North
East South
Pass Pass
1NT(1) Pass
Pass ?
(1) 12-14
South
S T 7 5 3
H A K T 6
D 6 5
C 8 7 6
Problem 4
Dealer East; Love All
West North
East South
Pass 1NT (1)
?
(1) 12-14
West
S T 5
H K T 9 7 2
D K Q T 7 2
C 2
Problem 5
Dealer North; East-West Game
S 6 3
H K J 4
D A Q J 7 4
C T 3 2
S 9
H A Q 8 6 5 3 2
D 9
C Q J 9 6
West North
East South
1NT (1) 4S 5H
5S Pass
6S 7H??!
Dbl All Pass
(1) 12-14
West leads the C8 (its a singleton) and East cashes the king and ace and plays
C7 which West ruffs. He exits with the D3. Can you reap any reward from your
wild bidding?
Problem 6
North-South Game; Dealer North
S Q T 9 7
H 9 3
D Q J 8 5
C Q J 4
West North
East South
Pass 1H
Pass
1S Pass
2C Pass
2D Pass
3NT All Pass
What do you lead?
Problem 7
Game All; Dealer East
West
North East South
1NT(1) Pass
Pass 2D(2)
Pass 2H
Pass 3H
Pass 4H
All Pass
(1) 12-14
(2) Transfer
You are West; you lead the DK and this is what you see:
S J 5 2
H A K 9 7 6 2
D 9 3
C K 5
S Q 8 7 4
H
J
D K Q T
C Q 8 7 4 3
On your DK partner plays a discouraging D7 and declarer plays the D4. How do
you continue?
(You will find the answers in below.
Answers to: Test Your Pairs Play
Problem 1
Given that partner has denied four spades, the opponents have at least a nine
card spade fit. West had that in mind when he bid 3D. This was the full deal:
S A
8 3
H Q T 9 6
D K J 9
C 7 5 2
S 7
S Q 9 6
H A K 8 5 3
H J 2
D 8 7 5 4 2
D T
C A K
C Q J 9 8 6 4 3
S K J T 5 4 2
H 7 4
D A Q 6 3
C T
North doubled 3D and he also doubled East's correction to 3H. Declarer did well
to make seven tricks but -500 was a poor score. While East might have run to 4C
the real problem was caused by the 3D bid. West might double for take-out if that
was available but otherwise it would be best to pass.
Problem 2
Did you decide to save?
S T 8 7 6 5 4
H --
D 7 6
C A T 7 6
2
S Q
S --
H 9 6 5 3 2
H A K J T 8 7 4
D A J 5 4 2
D Q T 9
C K Q
C J 5 4
S A K J 9 3 2
H Q
D K 8 3
C 9 8 3
Provided you take advantage of the favorable club position which prevents East
from gaining the lead you will escape for -500 which will be close to a top.
Problem 3
Did it occur to you to do anything?
Daniela von Arnim had a useful club in her bag and she was not going to let it
go rusty for lack of use. She bid 2D promising both majors and her partner's 2H
bid closed the auction.
S J 2
H Q J 9 3
D A K J 9
C T 4 3
S A K 8 6
S Q 9 4
H 7 2
H 8 5 4
D Q 8 7 3
D T 4 2
C K Q 9
C A J 5 2
S T 7 5 3
H A K T 6
D 6 5
C 8 7 6
With most pairs collecting +50 for
1NT -1, making 2H
was a huge result.
Problem 4
No doubt many of you could bid 2C promising hearts and another suit.
One West player was able to bid a natural 2D which North doubled for take-out. When
South converted this to penalties by passing West elected to stand his
ground. It proved to be rather
slippery.
S 9 4 3 2
H J 8 3
D 9
C A K 9 7 3
S T 5
S K Q J 8 6
H T 9 7 2
H Q 6 4
D A K Q T 7 2
D 5
C 2 C Q J T 8
S A 7
H A 5
D A J 8 6 4 3
C 6 5 4
South's 1NT is a typical gambit flavored by users of the weak Notrump.
Declarer could only manage six tricks and +300 was a top.
The amusing part of this story is that it was usually North/South who got into
trouble in diamonds. East opened 1S and South over called 2D. West passed and
East reopened with a double which West was happy to pass. One East/West pair
did even better. After a standard start (1S-2D-Pass-Pass) East decided to bid
2S. South now bid 3D and the axe fell from an even greater height!
Playing pairs it seems strange not to open the East hand. If the system does
not allow an opening bid of 1S then we would try 2S!
Problem 5
This is a very typical Pairs problem. If the defense had cashed a spade trick
you would already be four down and your score would depend on whether 6S was
making and if so how many pairs bid it. Now you have a chance to escape for -500
which will surely be a top.
South placed East with the DK and went for the ruffing
diamond finesse:
S
6 3
H K J 4
D A Q J 7 4
C T 3 2
S
K Q 5 4 S A J T 8 7 2
H
T 9 7 H --
D
K 6 5 3 2 D T 8
C
8 C A K 7 5 4
S 9
H A Q 8 6 5 3 2
D 9
C Q J 9 6
South's reasoning was perhaps faulty. East could not be missing two first round
controls for his 6S bid so he was surely void in hearts. He had to have at
least eleven black cards and 7-0-1-5 was a very possible distribution. That should
have pointed him towards the winning view.
Both 6S and 7H were poor bids but it was East who got a way with it.
Problem 6
If you managed to lead a club you would have won the Championship!
S 6 4
H A 8 7 6 4
D 2
C K 9 6 3 2
S A K J 5 3
S 8 2
H J
H K Q T 5 2
D K T 7 6 3
D A 9 4
C T 8
C A 7 5
S Q T 9 7
H 9 3
D Q J 8 5
C Q J 4
The 2C bid of east made it virtually impossible to find the winning lead. What a way to treat your team mate and
fellow World Champion!
Problem 7
A club switch gave declarer eleven tricks and a near top.
S J 5 2
H A K 9 7 6 2
D 9 3
C K 5
S Q 8 7 4
S K 9 6
H J
H Q 8 3
D K Q T
D 7 6 5 2
C Q 8 7 4 3
C T 6 2
S A T 3
H T 5 4
D A J 8 4
C A J 9
Declarer could ruff out the diamonds to set up one discard for a losing spade
while the other went away on the
third round of clubs.
A club switch is only right when partner has at least the ace. A spade switch
will work if partner has the ace or S KT but will turn out badly if declarer
has S AKx. Since West knows that there is a strong possibility of South being
able to set up the DJ there is a lot to be said for simply switching to the HJ,
leaving declarer to do all his own work.