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[Event "They Play Flannery"]
[Site ""]
[Date ""]
[Board "9"]
[West ""]
[North "Jim"]
[East ""]
[South "Pete"]
[Dealer "E"]
[Vulnerable "NS"]
[Deal "E:J43.83.7543.AJ93 Q86.AT65.82.KT65 AT95.KQJ92.J6.82 K72.74.AKQT9.Q74"]
[Scoring ""]
[Declarer "S"]
[Contract "3NT"]
[Result ""]
{<i>Spots approximate, especially in spades; deal rotated for convenience.</i>

We played this deal in the "8 Is Enough" Swiss team even in Watertown, August
16, 2013.  Each team of four in the event must not exceed 8 player points (PP),
where a player with over 2500 masterpoints has 3PP, between 300 and 2500 has
2PP, and 1PP under 300.  The event is fun, but the quality of play is
expectedly mixed.

Our opponents were misguided enough to play the Flannery 2\D opening, which led
to this thin game contract.  I think it's clear to bid 3NT in this field, at
this vulnerability, and with much of the distribution known.  All I had to do
was make it.

After ducking the opening lead, I won the \HJ continuation with the ace, to
exactly exhaust East's hearts.  A quick count (very quick) showed four top
tricks.  Given time, it would be easy to develop another trick in each suit
except hearts.  Still, that's two tricks short.  How would you continue?}
[BCFlags "1f"]
[Hidden "EW"]
[Auction "E"]
Pass Pass 2D =1= 3D
Pass 3NT AP
[Note "1:Flannery: 11-15 HCP, exactly 4\S & 5\H"]
[Play "W"]
HK

[Event " They Play Flannery -- SOLUTION"]
[Site ""]
[Date ""]
[Board "9"]
[West ""]
[North ""]
[East ""]
[South "Pete"]
[Dealer "E"]
[Vulnerable "NS"]
[Deal "E:J43.83.7543.AJ93 Q86.AT65.82.KT65 AT95.KQJ92.J6.82 K72.74.AKQT9.Q74"]
[Scoring ""]
[Declarer "S"]
[Contract "3NT"]
[Result ""]
{

After ducking the opening lead, I won the \HJ continuation with the ace, to
exactly exhaust East's hearts.  They had four top tricks ready to go (two aces
and two hearts), so I could not afford to give up a diamond right away.

It looked right to attack clubs immediately.  A finesse for the \CJ appeared to
be in my future, expecting East to have the length.  The \CA could have been
doubleton with West, allowing me to win the \CQ and then play small from both
hands, for three club tricks on the marked finesse.  (Would you be willing to
make that play?)  Anyhow, a small club went to the queen and was taken with the
ace, ending such speculation.

Many times in these cases, the opponent will return the suit you just led,
trying to avoid giving up a trick.  This did not happen:  it looked likely the
club finesse would indeed win.  Instead, East produced the \S3.  After some
thought, West took the \SA, and after more thought, led another spade.  (He
would have done better to do all his thinking at once: with nothing good to
return, he should have ducked, forcing dummy's king.)  West's heart winner was
now isolated.

With a second spade trick available, the club finesse would produce a ninth
trick, even if I had to lose a diamond.  I won the \SQ in hand, and played
diamonds from the top (only East could have had four, at this point, and the
\SK remained as an entry).  When the \DJ appeared, I refused the club finesse,
making exactly nine tricks and assuring the vulnerable game.  (At matchpoints,
I might have finessed for the overtrick, weighing the strong likelihood of
success against the value of a game that would not often be bid.)  This was the
second of two vulnerable game swings in our favor, allowing us to eke out a 2
IMP win in the match.  (I did say the quality of play was mixed, did I not?)\n
                                  
__________________________________________________

My analysis shows the Flannery 2\D opening bid to be an improvement over
standard bidding for these hands.  However, these issues offset those
advantages:

• Bill Flannery wrote a whole book on the convention, and it omits some key
info.  Playing this well is not for the faint of heart.\n
• There are better and simpler methods available.\n
• You cannot use the 2\D opening for some other purpose.\n
• You may map the bidding and play for the opponents, as happened here.

For more information on these issues, please see "Flannery and Major Nightmare
Solutions at Bridge" under "Articles by Club Members" at web.mit.edu/mitdlbc.\n
                                                                               
                                 <i>- Pete Matthews</i>}
[BCFlags "1f"]
[Play "W"]
HK
