Example #24 - Final showdown

3NT can be set on a H lead by South, but the remarkably convenient 1D opening puts an end to that.
Where East found a 3NT bid over 3D is anyone's guess, but like we stated before: missing cold games is bad practice.

Dealer E Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♣5	♠ QJ64 ♥ AT982 ♦ 93 ♣ 42
♠ AK32 ♥ Q53 ♦ K8764 ♣ J		♠ T9 ♥ K4 ♦ AJ52 ♣ KQ987
	♠ 875 ♥ J76 ♦ QT ♣ AT653

West	North	East	South
		1♦	p
1♠	p	1NT	p
3♦	p	3NT	p
p	p

You play CJ from dummy, North contributes the C5, you overtake with the CK and fire back C8 (!!) to the C3, S2, and C2.

You have 10 tricks for sure, but you might make 11 if you play carefully and opponents don't know the layout like you do.
When you cash 5 D tricks North holds on to S QJx and H AT9, while South has discarded a small S. Now you play a small H from dummy to your HK, cash S AK and play another S to North who is forced to let HQ make the last trick.

Of course, this was exactly the way Aruf played - but in the process something very revealing happened.
After winning C8, declarer continued with DJ!!!

Have a good look at the situation: there is no layout where the DJ play can gain, but there are plenty layouts where it simply costs.
The only possible conclusion is that declarer knew the layout and was showboating - he is literally shouting from the rooftops that he is using unauthorised information.

Example #23 - Final showdown

Missing cold games is bad practice ...

Dealer E Vul N/S Scoring MP Lead ♥9	♠ J87 ♥ 62 ♦ QT96 ♣ AQT2
♠ K52 ♥ T ♦ A7543 ♣ 9765		♠ AQ3 ♥ 98754 ♦ 8 ♣ J843
	♠ T964 ♥ AKQJ3 ♦ KJ2 ♣ K

West	North	East	South
		p	1♥
p	1NT	p	2♦
p	3NT	p	p
p

East got confused while defending - not so strange when the bidding has nothing to do with bridge as we used to know it - and declarer ended up with 11 tricks for all the marbles.

Example #22 - Final showdown

A familiar theme ... you can see South has an obvious D lead, so:

Dealer S Vul All Scoring Imp Lead ♦8	♠ 976542 ♥ 9 ♦ 43 ♣ Q653
♠ KJ8 ♥ AQJ743 ♦ A2 ♣ T2		♠ QT ♥ K62 ♦ Q975 ♣ AJ94
	♠ A3 ♥ T85 ♦ KJT86 ♣ K87

West	North	East	South
			p
1♥	p	3NT	p
p	p

Declarer now has 11 tricks, but Aruf thought he could go for a 12th by taking the double C finesse.
His arithmetic turned out to be faulty and he ended up with only 10 tricks. No big loss in IMPs, especially since most declarers playing in H were held to 10 tricks as well.

Example #21 - Final showdown

The question 'Plan the bidding' was not a joke ... you really have some work to do here.

6C is cold, provided you play the C suit the right suit around.
That is something you're not going to entrust to some ignorant partner, so instead of a clear-cut take-out double you start by bidding 2C.

Dealer W Vul - Scoring MP Lead ♦A	♠ AKQ973 ♥ 5 ♦ 932 ♣ Q93
♠ 642 ♥ KT2 ♦ Q5 ♣ AT765		♠ ♥ AQ98 ♦ KJ84 ♣ KJ842
	♠ JT85 ♥ J7643 ♦ AT76 ♣

West	North	East	South
p	1♠	2♣	4♠
5♣	p	6♣	p
p	p

The bidding proceeds like one would expect: 4S from South, followed by 5C from partner.
Now you can happily bid 6C. Of course, you don't misguess trumps ... 12 tricks, for another top.

Example #20 - Final showdown

No game is on, so what's the problem?

Dealer N Vul E/W Scoring MP Lead ♥J	♠ A952 ♥ J9 ♦ T742 ♣ KT3
♠ 876 ♥ Q3 ♦ 85 ♣ AQJ654		♠ KJT3 ♥ A85 ♦ AKJ9 ♣ 87
	♠ Q4 ♥ KT7642 ♦ Q63 ♣ 92

West	North	East	South
	p	1NT	2♥
3♣	p	p	p

You may wonder if E-W had any agreement about 3C being forcing or not.
We don't know - but it's clear West intended 3C to be forcing and anyway ... who would pass 3C playing with a pick-up partner?

Aruf doesn't need conventions and agreements. In fact, he would often be better off without partners altogether - but even BBO management is unlikely to grant him that privilege.
Remember the board where Aruf replied 2NT to his partner's 2C opening and claimed it was a transfer to H? This happens to be the same partner ...

Example #19 - Final showdown

Never mind the bidding ... you knew you wanted to play 4S, and exactly how you get there is irrelevant.
Your job now is to make as many tricks as possible, like Aruf did.

Dealer N Vul N/S Scoring MP Lead ♥T	♠ KT874 ♥ A ♦ KJ74 ♣ A63
♠ A9 ♥ K52 ♦ 85 ♣ KQ9754		♠ J32 ♥ T6 ♦ QT32 ♣ JT82
	♠ Q65 ♥ QJ98743 ♦ A96 ♣

West	North	East	South
	1♠	p	2♥
3♣	X	p	4♠
p	p	p

Declarer put up HJ in dummy, ducked by West, for the Ace. Next came a small C ruffed in dummy followed by HQ, covered by the K, ruffed.
And now declarer played S10!!! This was ducked all around, and followed by another S to the Q and West's Ace.
West returned a C, which turned out to be not a good idea. Declarer took CA, drew the last trump, crossed to DA and claimed 12 tricks.

Example #18 - Final showdown

Experienced partnerships may have agreements about this situation, but pick-up partnerships are unlikely to have any - so, it's common sense.
Taking that into account, there appear to be 3 possible actions: pass, 3D, and 3NT. Which one you go for is largely a matter of personal style.

Knowing the complete layout things look different. You can see exactly where you want to play: in 3Cxx - but even if you pass, partner doesn't have a clear-cut redouble and may well bid 3NT instead.
So, you must do your duty and help partner out ...

Dealer S Vul E/W Scoring Imp Lead ♠J	♠ AQ ♥ AJ9 ♦ AKQJ4 ♣ Q53
♠ 975 ♥ T87 ♦ T96 ♣ AK82		♠ JT63 ♥ KQ632 ♦ 853 ♣ 6
	♠ K842 ♥ 54 ♦ 72 ♣ JT974

West	North	East	South
			p
p	2♣	p	2♦
p	2NT	p	3♣
X	XX	p	p
p

Partner had no trouble passing and 3Cxx +2 scored another bundle.

We often wonder why players at this level fail to report blatant examples like this one. But in this special case, we at least have no doubt about the motives not to file a complaint of one of the players involved.
The West player on this board, playing with a pickup-partner, was Nevzat Aydogdu. He is a Turkish 'star' player on BBO, just like his brother and regular partner Fikret Aydogdu. There is an impressive number of hand records from online bridge suggesting the behaviour of these gentlemen, when playing together, is not exactly what one would call perfectly ethical. But in fact these hand records are irrelevant as there is a far better indication of the way this pair operates: when defending a hand in a BBO tournament, with dozens of eyewitnesses kibitzing, a message from one of the brothers appeared in the chat window telling his partner how to defend - the classic mistake of a pair using MSN or ICQ to communicate, but typing a message in the wrong window.
Actually, this incident was not enough for BBO management to sanction them - BBO management only act when they feel it is to their advantage. The brothers were not suspended, let alone kicked out - and both still have their star. So instead of being kicked out of bridge this pair could get to the semi-final stages at the Open European Pairs Championships, played recently in Antalya.

Example #17 - Final showdown

This must be one of the weirdest auctions ever.

Dealer W Vul N/S Scoring Imp Lead ♦A	♠ J87 ♥ Q72 ♦ JT9842 ♣ Q
♠ AK952 ♥ AK543 ♦ ♣ AK6		♠ QT ♥ T6 ♦ Q765 ♣ JT873
	♠ 643 ♥ J98 ♦ AK3 ♣ 9542

West	North	East	South
1♥	p	1♠	p
2♣	p	3♣	p
4♦	p	4♥	p
4NT	p	5♣	p
5NT	p	6♣	p
6♠	p	p	p

Making 6S was no problem, of course. Declarer ruffed the lead in dummy, played H AK and ruffed a H, cashed SQ, crossed to CA, and drew trumps - 13 tricks, for a nice score.
7S is cold on the given layout ... but Aruf either didn't notice, or he didn't dare risk bidding it.

Example #16 - Final showdown

This is an easy one for dedicated students of the Complete Works of Mehmet Faruk Kepekçi.

Dealer E Vul E/W Scoring Imp Lead ♥8	♠ Q7543 ♥ AQT2 ♦ 32 ♣ Q5
♠ J82 ♥ K ♦ AKJ84 ♣ KT72		♠ K9 ♥ J754 ♦ 5 ♣ AJ8643
	♠ AT6 ♥ 9863 ♦ QT976 ♣ 9

West	North	East	South
		p	p
1♦	p	3NT	p
p	p

Yet, there is another interesting aspect to this board - and it can be found in the declarer play.

North took the lead with HA and switched to a small S: 9, A, and the 2. Back came S10, to the 8, 5 and K. Declarer now cashed his 6 C tricks, and then D AK. South held on to 3 Ds, so declarer ended up with 9 tricks.
This is one of the extremely rare instances during Aruf's spell in ACBL tournaments on BBO where he declines to take a finesse which is on - so, why?

One reason might be that he was playing IMPs and knew bidding and making 3NT was going to be worth a bundle anyway. But that argument doesn't stand up, for there are loads of examples showing Aruf was not bothered by minor details like this.
A far better reason is that South happened to be a BBO ACBL tournament director, as well as a contender in the yearly online MP race. Taking the D finesse would jeopardise an otherwise cold contract and South might have become suspicious ... or rather, even more suspicious than he should have been already because of the 3NT bid.

It all goes to show that Aruf knew damn well what he was doing - after all, he hardly could be aware of the fact that BBO ACBL tournament directors were just about the last persons on Earth he should be worried about.
The wife of the gentleman sitting South happened to be another BBO ACBL tournament director. She once managed to kick all kibitzers out of an ACBL tournament because 1 player wanted to have a kibitzer removed from her table. This TD had been advised to investigate the player in question but evidently she knew better. She can read up on the facts shortly, when we publish a blog about Mrs. Jan Katz of Las Vegas (aka texx, formerly aka jann) and her online bridge buddies.

Example #15 - Final showdown

You have 6 tricks for sure against 2NT. A score of +200 is always welcome in matchpoints, so ...

Dealer E Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♦K	♠ A962 ♥ A52 ♦ AK84 ♣ 95
♠ QT8 ♥ T7 ♦ QT ♣ AQ7643		♠ KJ3 ♥ KJ864 ♦ 963 ♣ KJ
	♠ 754 ♥ Q93 ♦ J752 ♣ T82

West	North	East	South
		1♥	p
2♣	p	2♥	p
2NT	X	p	p
p

Things even get better: after DK, DA, and D4 to partner's J, partner returns another D to your 8 on which declarer pitches a small C.
Now you can safely try for 2 off by switching to a small H. Don't make the mistake of cashing HA and continuing the suit, for if declarer finesses and partner returns the wrong black suit you're back to 1 off.

Example #14 - Final showdown

Aruf didn't rise to stardom by missing cold games.

Dealer W Vul N/S Scoring Imp Lead ♥A	♠ AJ85 ♥ J876 ♦ 986 ♣ 92
♠ 7432 ♥ T932 ♦ 5 ♣ QT76		♠ K96 ♥ AKQ4 ♦ K2 ♣ 8543
	♠ QT ♥ 5 ♦ AQJT743 ♣ AKJ

West	North	East	South
p	p	1NT	p
2♣	p	2♥	3♦
p	3NT	p	p
p

East started with 4 rounds of H from the top, and declarer simply made 10 tricks.

Example #13 - Final showdown

You know there are 15 tricks available, but partner seems to be happy to sign off in 5D.
Would you trust this partner to actually bring in 13 tricks?

Dealer N Vul - Scoring MP Lead ♥2	♠ KJ53 ♥ QT983 ♦ 96 ♣ 95
♠ AQ62 ♥ J ♦ T2 ♣ AKQJ86		♠ 94 ♥ A74 ♦ AKQ7543 ♣ 2
	♠ T87 ♥ K652 ♦ J8 ♣ T743

West	North	East	South
	p	1♦	p
1♠	p	3♦	p
4NT	p	5♣	p
5♦	p	7♦	p
p	p

Aruf didn't and opted for the 'safe' 7D ... still an excellent score.

Example #12 - Final showdown

Knowledge of 12 cold tricks should override partner's reluctance to show a good hand.

Dealer E Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♣K	♠ KQ876 ♥ T75 ♦ A ♣ AJ43
♠ 9 ♥ A92 ♦ QT74 ♣ T9865		♠ T43 ♥ 83 ♦ K9863 ♣ KQ2
	♠ AJ52 ♥ KQJ64 ♦ J52 ♣ 7

West	North	East	South
		p	1♥
p	1♠	p	2♠
p	3♣	p	3♠
p	4NT	p	5♦
p	6♠	p	p
p

Example #11 - Final showdown

When opponents are going off, you stand to earn more MPs when you double.

Dealer W Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♥K	♠ T94 ♥ AK9543 ♦ 86 ♣ J8
♠ 63 ♥ 86 ♦ AK94 ♣ AQ732		♠ AQ752 ♥ Q2 ♦ Q53 ♣ K64
	♠ KJ8 ♥ JT7 ♦ JT72 ♣ T95

West	North	East	South
1♣	1♥	1♠	2♥
p	p	3♥	p
4♦	p	5♣	p
p	X	p	p
p

Cash HK and HA, play a S, and sit back - waiting for partner's S trick and +200.
Bridge is such a simple game ...

Example #10 - Final showdown

A lesson in how to make life impossible for opponents ...

Dealer S Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♥4	♠ ♥ AJ93 ♦ QT64 ♣ AJ983
♠ K54 ♥ T42 ♦ 9873 ♣ 765		♠ AQJ863 ♥ Q ♦ J2 ♣ KT42
	♠ T972 ♥ K8765 ♦ AK5 ♣ Q

West	North	East	South
			1♥
p	6♥	X	p
p	XX	p	p
p

The redouble you'll recognise by now as standard Aruf practise.
6Hxx made, of course. Please note it's only safe to bid 7H if partner is another Aruf and knows to play East for both CK and C10.

Example #9 - Final showdown

There are 4 inescapable losers in 4S, so ...

Dealer S Vul All Scoring Imp Lead ♣6	♠ K982 ♥ AQJ9 ♦ 8 ♣ Q843
♠ 76 ♥ 852 ♦ A965 ♣ AT76		♠ AQ ♥ T763 ♦ Q743 ♣ J95
	♠ JT543 ♥ K4 ♦ KJT2 ♣ K2

West	North	East	South
			p
p	1♣	p	3NT
p	p	p

West found the best lead of a small C, and now 3NT can be defeated.
However, when East came in with SQ she switched to a small D and collecting 9 tricks was easy.

Example #8 - Final showdown

Dealer W Vul E/W Scoring MP Lead ♦J	♠ 64 ♥ QJ7 ♦ AT97 ♣ T854
♠ AQ9 ♥ T864 ♦ 8653 ♣ K3		♠ JT7 ♥ AK52 ♦ KQ42 ♣ AJ
	♠ K8532 ♥ 93 ♦ J ♣ Q9762

West	North	East	South
p	p	1NT	p
2♣	p	2♥	p
3♥	p	4♥	p
p	p

North takes DA, returns D10, and your Q is ruffed with H3.
South leads S5 and the 9 in dummy wins. You try H10: J, A, and the 9 from South. When you cash HK, South pitches a small S.

This is the position, including all known cards:

	♠ ♥ Q ♦ 97 ♣
♠ AQ ♥ 86 ♦ 86 ♣ K3		♠ JT ♥ 52 ♦ K2 ♣ AJ
	♠ K ♥ ♦ ♣

This is not a difficult hand ... the easiest solution is to claim 10 tricks, announcing you're going to strip the black suits (taking another S finesse) and endplay North by playing a trump.
North will only be left with losing options: playing into the D tenace, or giving a ruff-sluff.

But Aruf didn't play this way: he cashed CK and CA, played to SQ, and played a trump - without cashing SA.
North was indeed endplayed, but only because he started with only 2 Spades ... and Aruf KNEW it.

Example #7 - Final showdown

First of all, notice Aruf passed 3S where lots of players would have bid 4S automatically.
He was right again, 4S is down off the top on a D lead.

And now, feast your eyes on some sophisticated declarer play!

Dealer S Vul All Scoring MP Lead ♥Q	♠ AK87 ♥ 432 ♦ 9873 ♣ 98
♠ T64 ♥ KT76 ♦ AQ5 ♣ A53		♠ 53 ♥ QJ985 ♦ T2 ♣ QT64
	♠ QJ92 ♥ A ♦ KJ64 ♣ KJ72

West	North	East	South
			1♣
p	1♠	p	3♠
p	p	p

Declarer took the HQ lead with HA in dummy, crossed to hand with SK, ducked C9 (!!) to West's CA, and took the S return in hand with SA.
Next came a C to the CJ, SJ (East discarding H5), and ... DJ from dummy!!
West, on lead with DQ, returned a H ruffed in dummy with the SQ. Now CK was cashed to pitch declarer's last H, followed by ... DK crashing East's D10!!

Making 10 tricks, for a very nice score.

Example #6 - Final showdown

Partners, not opponents, are the main handicap for players like Aruf. This board is a textbook example: you know you want to be in 6NT, but it must be played by South who refuses to bid NT.
Fortunately, there is a simple solution: bid 4S (self-alerted as 'again') and partner by now has no other bid than 4NT. That was what you wanted to hear, and you finally can bid 6NT.

Dealer N Vul E/W Scoring MP Lead ♠A	♠ 43 ♥ J2 ♦ 7642 ♣ AKQT4
♠ AJ8752 ♥ 873 ♦ 9 ♣ 852		♠ QT6 ♥ Q54 ♦ T853 ♣ 973
	♠ K9 ♥ AKT96 ♦ AKQJ ♣ J6

West	North	East	South
	p	p	2♣
p	2♦	p	2♥
p	3♣	p	3♦
p	3♠	p	4♣
p	4♠	p	4NT
p	6NT	p	p
p

Even when played by South 6NT is not a certainty: declarer may have to choose between playing for SA or HQ onside.
However, you know West has SA (otherwise you could simply have bid NT yourself on your way to 6NT) and there's always the possibility it'll be led. So it was - all troubles were over and partner happily claimed 12 tricks.