BRIDGE
Balance
Andrew Robson
SHOULD YOU open 1NT with five cards• in a major suit? Opening 1NT conveys an accurate message both about the number of points and about the balanced nature of a hand — it is therefore much more likely to lead to the correct final contract. If your partner always opens iNT with a 5-3-3-2 pattern, then there is a most useful corol- lary: if he repeats a suit it almost certainly contains six cards. As you may have guessed, I strongly recommend opening a hand such as South's with 1NT.
Dealer South North-South Vulnerable The Bidding
South West North East 1NT (12-14) pass 2NT pass 3NT pass pass pass West led +4 which declarer ducked to East's 4K. East returned 49, and West won 4J, dummy's ace being withheld for a second time. West led a third 4, East dis- carding a 4. How would you continue? Needing to establish 4s, you must play to keep West off lead. Play a 4 off dummy and, unless East plays 4K (which you must duck), you play 4Q. It is not good enough to follow with 4A — East will throw 4K to create an entry for his partner's 4J. Instead you must cross to 4■K and lead a second 4. Assuming East plays low, you rise with the ace and exit with a third 4 to East. Your two long 4s are established and the contract is made.
East missed an opportunity to be bril- liant — can you spot it ? He must jettison 4K on the third round of 4s. Now declar- er cannot establish 4s without losing the lead to West's 4J. It seems an incredible play to find, but I cannot think of a single layout where it can cost — if South holds 4AQJ, then East's 4K is dead anyway.
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