Teacher's Manual

Session 5.2 : The 1♥ or 1♠ openings, 3-level raise

Session program

• The 1   or 1 openings, 3-level raise
• Going on with the dialogue
• Repeating a finesse

Reminder

Start with a few exercises cards on table

My partner opens with 1 : What will I bid with the following hands?

1	2	3
10 8 2   10 9 3   J 8 7 4 2   10 9	A Q 10   A K 9   J 8 7 4 2   10 9	A Q 10   A K J 9  A J 7 4 2   10

Hand 1 : I have three cards in Hearts, and therefore a fit. My hand is worth 2 pts (1 HC point and 1 D point for the doubleton). Game is very far away: I pass.

Hand 2 : I have three cards in Hearts, and therefore a fit. My hand is worth 15 pts. Even if my partner has only 12 HC points (13 pts), we have a minimum of 28 pts. We have reached the game level: I bid 4  .

Hand 3 : I have four cards in Hearts, and therefore a fit. My hand is worth 23 pts. Our side has a minimum of 35 pts. We have reached the slam level: I bid 6  .

Further bidding

Always let the children bid to their liking.
You must however insist on the necessity, after each bid by the partner, that they try and evaluate the minimum and maximum number of points for their side, to make sure they bid the right level of contract, which is more difficult with ambiguous bids.

Repeating a finesse

To go on with finesses, you will slightly change the examples of the previous session, cards face up on the table, and you try to have the children guess what has changed.

1	2	3
K Q 6 ■   3 2 The Ace is missing	A Q J ■   5 4 Where is the King?	A K J 10 ■   4 3 2 Where is the Queen?

 

If the missing honor is on-side (here in West’s hand), how can they do two, three and four tricks in these examples?
They will need to repeat the maneuver, as they own extra equivalent cards. To be able to do that, they need to go back to their hand as many times as necessary using another suit: counting communications between hands is also part of planning the hand.

In defence, playing the right equivalent card

When you lead a suit:
We have seen with the lead that playing an honor promises the one just underneath.  Contrary to NT contracts, in a suit contract you can lead with only a two-card sequence, because what is urgent in a suit contract is to take your promoted tricks before long suits might be ruffed. It is also true when you lead a suit during the play.

K Q 4    Q J 5    J 10 3

During the play, when player Nr.3 has equivalent honors, he should play the smallest. Thus, his partner knows that he doesn’t own the card right underneath, but may have the honors right above.

K Q 9    K Q J 5    Q J 10 3

As usual, don’t stay too much time on explanations, but have them play application hands.
Let the play without intervening and review the hand, cards face up, showing them how they could have won the contract or set it…

Session first hand (5.2.1)

Hand 5.2.1     Dealer North

	K Q 8   J 7 3   J 7 6 4   A 8 5
A 10 4   10 9 8 6   A 5 2   J 9 4		N		J 5   Q 4 2   K 9 8   Q 10 7 3 2
	W		E
		S
	9 7 6 3 2   A K 5   Q 10 3   K 6

South	West	North	East
		I pass	I pass
1		3
I pass

 

Lead: 10
Bidding: bidding the right contract
Card play:
Defence: In East, play the Queen only if dummy plays the Jack.
Declarer: play twice to the King-Queen of Spades.
Score: 3   = : 140 NS

Session second hand (5.2.2)

Hand 5.2.2     Dealer East

	K 5   8 6 4 3   A J 2   Q 10 7 2
J 10 9 3 2   10   8 7 5 3   A 8 6		N		A 7 6   K 9 7   9 6 4   K J 9 3
	W		E
		S
	Q 8 4   A Q J 5 2   K Q 10   5 4

South	West	North	East
			I pass
1		3
4		I pass

 

Lead: J
Bidding: bidding the right contract
Card play:
Defence: If North doesn’t play the King of Spades, East holds on to his Ace.
Declarer: take and repeat the finesse to the King of Hearts returning to dummy with a Diamond.
Score : 4   = : 420 NS

Session third hand (5.2.3)

Hand 5.2.3     Dealer South

	K 6 4   K 7   10 8 7 2   K J 8 3
9 5   Q 10 6 3   K Q 9 3   7 5 4		N		Q 10 8   J 9 5 4 2   6 5 4   6 2
	W		E
		S
	A J 7 3 2   A 8   A J   A Q 10 9

South	West	North	East
1		3
6		I pass

 

Lead: K
Bidding: bidding the right contract
Card play:
Declarer: finesse the Queen of Spades
Score: 6  = : 980 NS

Session fourth hand (5.2.4)

Hand 5.2.4     Dealer West

	A K J   6 2   8 6 5 3   K 7 6 4
Q 5 3   9 7 4 3   K Q 10 9   J 5		N		10 4   K J 10 8 5   7 4 2   Q 10 3
	W		E
		S
	9 8 7 6 2   A Q   A J   A 9 8 2

South	West	North	East
	I pass	I pass	I pass
1		3
4		I pass

 

Lead: K
Bidding: you must open with 1   despite having no honor in the suit…
Card play: take the two finesses and establish the Clubs.
Score: 4   + 1 : 450 NS.