HOMEPAGE > QUIZ > HAMMAN'S TIPS > CURRENT

Dealer : East
Vuln : North-South
HAMMAN'S TIPS #20
by Bob Hamman
the world's #1 ranked player

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     North
    7 4 2
    A K Q J
    6 5 4
    7 6 3
West
8 6 3
2
J 10 9
A Q 10 9 5 4
East You
A J
9 8 7 6 5 4
K 7
J 8 2
 

   South
    K Q 10 9 5
    10 3
    A Q 8 3 2
    K

 

Opening lead: 2

I usually don't give hands in signaling,
because most hands you can figure out
without a perfect signal. But the wrong
signal can put partner's brain to sleep.

The auction at my table was as you see
here. I played the 7 of hearts at trick one.
When I won the ace of spades I returned
the 6 of hearts. These heart spots were
high enough to keep partner away from
underleading his clubs (with the king of
clubs I surely would have played lower
hearts, or up the line). But I didn't want
to scream for a diamond either, because
I had the king, not the ace.

 

South

1
4

West

3
pass

North

double
4

East
pass
4
all pass

Opening lead: 2

 

My partner (Bobby Wolff) had a good idea of the distribution from the bidding and carefully cashed
the ace of clubs, before exiting a trump. We eventually scored a diamond trick to set the contract.

At the other table South didn't bid diamonds, but East returned the 9 when he gave a ruff. West
then returned a diamond and the club king disappeared on a high heart (declarer had played the
9 under the ace, so later was able to reach dummy leading the 5 to the 7). West was wrong not
to cash the ace of clubs first, because if partner held the ace of diamonds, it couldn't hurt to cash
the club trick. And if South was void in clubs, East didn't have the ace of diamonds (otherwise he
would hold two aces and the K-J-x-x of clubs and would not have passed as dealer). Nevertheless,
East had to share the blame for screaming for a diamond return.

My tip is simpler than the hand: Don't over signal and don't rely solely on a signal.

 

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