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Greetings! My name is Joe Andrews. I am the author of Win at Hearts (released Sept. 1, 1998), and Win at Spades: Vols. I and II (released January of 1999). I will be writing columns for the Hearts
and Spades
sections of the Zone. Featured will be hands or tips with a specific theme. Today's hand is very instructional and should be helpful for players of all levels. It is excerpted from Win at Spades. The theme is "Defense against a Nil Bid." The play is truly extraordinary -- especially when one considers that the hand occurred in a Zone social game, not a tournament!
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North
Q 9
J 7
A K J 3
J 10 8 6 2
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West
7 3 2
Q 6 3 2
10 5 2
7 5 4
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East
J 10 8
A K 10
9 8 7 6 4
K Q
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South (Dealer)
A K 6 5 4
9 8 5 4
Q
A 9 3
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Bidding:
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WEST
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NORTH
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EAST
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SOUTH
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Nil
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2
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4
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5
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A quick review of the bidding is in order. The score was 300 - 280, in favor of East-West. Bags were immaterial; each side had two. West's Nil was very solid, with only the slightest risk in the Heart and Club suits. North's 2 was bit conservative, but reasonable. East's 4 proved to be quite correct. South might have considered a less aggressive 4 bid; however, the 5 had merit, as four trump tricks (two via Diamond ruffs), and the Club Ace looked pretty darn solid.
West pondered his opening lead, and trotted out the 7 of Clubs -- a somewhat dubious choice! North inserted the 10, and the Queen was taken by South's Ace. East wanted to grab the lead as soon as possible, in order to clear the Club suit and ruff the third round. It was a good plan, and would have succeeded against a less-than-perfect defense.
South now shifted to the singleton Diamond Queen, and began a campaign to remove trump from East's hand. The play was fast and furious, and the hand became a true classic! West unloaded his 10 (another mild threat to his Nil), and North rose with the Ace. He deduced his partner wanted a Diamond return, and played the King (of Diamonds). East followed with another low spot, and South RUFFED with the Spade 4, taking the trick from his bewildered partner! Next came the Spade 5, West played the 3, and North won with his Queen.
Ignoring the Diamond Jack, North switched to the Club 8, as he sensed the futility of the red suits. Whether this was a stroke of genius, a touch of serendipity, or just plain blind luck, we will never know. (North later said that West's play of the Club 7 on trick one was an indication of a possibly weak suit.) East took the King of Clubs (South following with the 9), and then he started on his high Heart suit -- a very good move. The Ace drew his partner's Queen, the King drew North's Jack, and the 10 cleared the suit, as North discarded the Jack of Clubs. Then East bailed a Diamond, and South ruffed this with the 6 -- his last low Spade, as North heaved his Jack.
The Ace-King of Spades extracted two trump from both East and West, as North pitched another Diamond. Finally, the Club 3 was placed on the table, West played the 4, and North ducked with the 2, as East showed out. End of Nil! North-South made their contract of 7; the Nil was busted, and East's successful 4 bid was little consolation here. It was a truly marvelous defense, a bit on the lucky side to be sure. However, I would be willing to say that very few North-South teams would ever set the West bid of Nil. Perhaps someday I will place this hand in a Duplicate Board, and see just how many times the Nil is "beaten"!
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