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Apparently Victor Mollo was not a fan of the Smith Peter convention — and certainly the way I used it on the following hand, I can see why.
The Smith Peter is a defensive convention which allows a defender to express his attitude to partner's lead by the way in which he follows to the next trick.
But first the bidding...
The Smith Peter is a defensive convention which allows a defender to express his attitude to partner's lead by the way in which he follows to the next trick.
But first the bidding...
Playing in the Australian premium teams event, the matches are of 20 boards and as one of the last places you can actually play yellow systems, the bidding was a huge triumph for my pet HUM system — Crunch!
Sitting East at all vulnerable, I opened 1
showing 7-10 HCP, any distribution. South overcalled a strong NT. Partner passed and North transferred to Spades. South accepted the transfer and North bid a fairly aggressive 3
— natural and invitational. South of course rebid 3NT. My partner now looked at his rather nice 11 count opposite my known 7-10 and expressed doubt about this contract by doubling. 3NTX is the final contract with the full deal being:
showing 7-10 HCP, any distribution. South overcalled a strong NT. Partner passed and North transferred to Spades. South accepted the transfer and North bid a fairly aggressive 3 — natural and invitational. South of course rebid 3NT. My partner now looked at his rather nice 11 count opposite my known 7-10 and expressed doubt about this contract by doubling. 3NTX is the final contract with the full deal being:
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Both Vuln
Dealer E |
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Partner fell from grace slightly by leading a small heart which ran to the King. Declarer now played the 
K from hand to partner's Ace. At this point I should have played the 9 — a Smith Peter saying I liked the heart lead. But of course if I had done that partner would know what I had!
K from hand to partner's Ace. At this point I should have played the 9 — a Smith Peter saying I liked the heart lead. But of course if I had done that partner would know what I had!
Left to his own devices though, partner did just fine — out came the 10. This also ran to declarer's King. South now cashed the 
A and I, East, catching up for my previous failure to Smith, produced a masterful 10 which said "Partner that was a really, really good switch!"
10. This also ran to declarer's King. South now cashed the A and I, East, catching up for my previous failure to Smith, produced a masterful 10 which said "Partner that was a really, really good switch!"
Unfortunately it also said to declarer, "Hey, with partner's Q doubleton, you can now unblock the J from dummy and run your whole suit! Man you had played the hand really badly leaving yourself with no entry to your long suit, but don't worry, Mikey's here on defence to help!"
Q doubleton, you can now unblock the J from dummy and run your whole suit! Man you had played the hand really badly leaving yourself with no entry to your long suit, but don't worry, Mikey's here on defence to help!"
Prior to my Smith Peter, declarer was booked for three off. He now had only to cash his diamonds and finesse the 10 to make!
10 to make!
Of course, I may not be able to play bridge, but I was born lucky and declarer fell at the last, failing to finesse in spades for +200 to the good guys. Maybe he knew I was going to write the hand up for poorbridge.com and wanted a mention!