[jim420]

Scoring: IMP

W N E S
- 1♣ 1♠ 2♦
2♥ 3♣ 3♥ 4♣
4♥ P P P
Opening lead: ♠4
Result: 4♥=
9.3 IMP to EW

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I was West, the declarer. After this hand, we're surprised at the 9.3 IMP we've got, and even more at the fact that this is the only contract bid by the EW side.

http://online.bridgebase.com/myhands/hands...9661738-5761263

As you can see from the traveller, there is no other heart contract by EW on other tables. In fact this is the only contract (and also the only successful contract) bid by EW side. There are only a lot of ♣s by NS, and surprisingly large amount of NTs (made or set) by NS

Is there anything extraordinary about this hand so that 4♥ is so hard to reach? Is 5♣ possible by NS? Also post-mortem GIB says 4♥ can be set to -1. How is this possible?

Opinions welcome

[Walddk]

jim420, on Feb 12 2007, 05:13 PM, said:

Is there anything extraordinary about this hand so that 4♥ is so hard to reach? Is 5♣ possible by NS? Also post-mortem GIB says 4♥ can be set to -1. How is this possible?

1. Yes, it's normal that advancer can't bid a 4-card suit at the 2-level. A responsive double is possible though. That would show four hearts, even five with a weaker hand and some spade tolerance. If you double, it's quite possible that you will get to the heart game.

However, you should not, because ...

2. Declarer has 9 tricks and no more. It takes a defensive error to let 4♥ make. It would be a bit much to go through all the various lines, but you can never come to more than 9 tricks on best defence, say with the normal ♣K lead.

Roland