Are these really OzKids ?

[sartaj]

See if you can match the actions of two of our talented Ozoners on these two problems from a practice match

Hand 1 :
Nil Vul, IMPS
AQJ532
AQJ4
10
K2
(North)
K
1092
Q862
AQJ106
(East)

West North East South
P 1D
P 1S 2C 2D
3C X P 3H
P 4H //

Partner leads a big club and you cash two rounds of clubs.
What now ?

Hand 2 :
South deals, nil vul

J KQ76
A7 1065
AJ10942 K75
Q1053 AK8
(West) (East)


West North East South
P
1D 1H X 3H
P P X P
3NT

North leads a low heart to the king and ace. What is your line of play ?

[KiwiFraser]

Hand 1 - Suspect if we bang down DQ S will never play us for the SK, having pased originally. Though how this might help I don't know. He seems to be 1462 (or possibly 2362). Would help to know what the leading agrement is though, and also whether S has a takeout X available (if so 2362 is more likely so this play loses its appeal somewhat).

Hand 2 - Helps to know if N is the sort of character to overcall on QJxx. Suspect not, in which case it looks best to start with C AKQ then see how they break before trying diamonds. S is presumably a Law disciple, so the raise to 3H holding (presumably) only 3 means that shortage elsewhere is likely, possibly a void.

[sartaj]

Nil Vul, IMPS
AQJ532
AQJ4
10
K2
(North)
K
1092
Q862
AQJ106
(East)

West North East South
P 1D
P 1S 2C 2D
3C X P 3H
P 4H //

Paul Gosney worked out that partner was marked with a yarborough. And elected to knowingly give declarer a ruff and discard, hoping to create trump handling issues. And .....


AQJ532
AQJ4
10
K2
(North)
109874 K
87 1092
94 Q862
9853 AQJ106
(W) (East)

6
K653
AKJ753
74
(South)


Declarer, a not very widely acclaimed player ;) , but known to his circle as the dude, took the ruff in hand (pitching a spade from N) and finessed a spade into the stiff king. East now came out the nine of hearts. Declarer pulled
two rounds of trumps and tried to ruff a spade in his hand but East ruffed ahead of him with the heart ten and it was down 1.

However, with Gosney passing 12 counts, perhaps he's no longer eligible for playing in the youth trials !!

Hand 2 :
South deals, nil vul

[CODE]
J KQ76
A7 1065
AJ10942 K75
Q1053 AK8
(West) (East)


West North East South
P
1D 1H X 3H
P P X P
3NT

On a heart to king and ace, Nye Griffiths stopped to think. The hearts appear to be 4-4. So why did north overcall One Heart with all these missing spades.
People tend to overcall 4 card suits when they have length in opener's suit (often 4 or 5 cards in oppo's suit).
Looks like North has diamond length....Now what about the points. With South showing up with the king of hearts, that gives North SA and HQJ...
North bid opposite a passed partner.... Its smelling like the diamond queen is up north's shore too...
Backing his conviction, Nye ran the diamond Jack at trick two !! North did have Qxxx of diamonds and this play was essential.

You know you've played a hand well when people wonder whether you took a peek at the hand record !!

In the real hand, North had 5 hearts and South had found an eccentric raise on Kxx of hearts and a diamond void. Then again, the issue is the same....Strange things are going on, so strange distributions must lurk.....