RANDOM HANDS ILLUSTRATING INSTANCES IN WHICH ONE OUGHT TO BE APPLYING THE LAW OF TOTAL TRUMP

V: E-W       S: 8 6              W   N   E   S

                  H: K Q 4 2        -    -    P   P

                  D: Q 5             3S  P   P   P

                  C: A J 9 8 6

S: A K T 9 5 3          Q 7 4 2            East's pass is very dangerous.

H: 8                         A T 6 3            With (assumably) eleven combined

D: T 9 7                   K J 3 2            trump, E-W are “Law Protected” to

C: Q 7 2                  T                     the 11 trick level. PASS risks missing

                                                      a lay down game. And especially at

                   S: J                             equal vulnerability, East must go to

                   H: J 9 7 5                    game lest N-S are permitted to back

                   D: A 8 6 4                    into the auction and find their own

                   C: K 5 4 3                   game

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V: E-W        S: 8                              W     N     E    S

                  H: J T 8 2                      -       -      -    2D

                  D: T 9 7 2                     2S    5D    X   P

                  C: A T 4 2                    P      P

S: A K J T 9 4 3         Q 7 6 5 2            WEST'S SIMPLE TWO SPADE OVERCALL

H: A 7 5 3                  K 9                     IS ENTIRELY INADEQUATE. FOUR SPADES

D: 3                           K J                     IS NOT PREEMPTIVE, BUT SHOWS A VERY

C: 5                           K J 6 3               STRONG PLAYING HAND (8-9 TRICKS)THAT

                                                           NEEDS NO TRUMP SUPPORT.

                  S: - - -                               FIVE DIAMONDS WAS AN INSPIRED BID

                  H: Q 6 4                           THAT WAS AMPLY REWARDED.

                  D: A Q 8 6 5 4                   DOUBLE HAS NO MERIT WHATSOEVER.

                  C: Q 9 8 7                         WITH AT LEAST A 10-CARD FIT, THE HAND

                                                          BELONGS IN SPADES. THE K-J OF DIAMONDS 

IS A RED HERRING. SURE, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE DEFENSIVE CARDS, EXCEPT THAT THE DIAMOND BIDDER IS BEHIND EAST, AND THUS THE K-J MAY WELL BE ENTIRELY WORTHLESS. PASSING 5 DIAMONDS WITH A 7-4-1-1 (7-4 BIDSOMEMORE) CANNOT BE WINNING BRIDGE EITHER.

KUDOS TO N-S FOR THROWING UP SUCH A SHIT STORM OF INTERFERENCE.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

V: E-W              S: A 9 7 5                            W       N       E        S

                         H: J 8 7 3                            P       P       1D       P

                         D: A J                                1H      P       1NT     P

                         C: T 8 3                             2D      P       P          P

S: 3 2                             K 8                      THE FIRST PASS WAS COWARDLY

H: A 9 6 2                       K T 5                      - VULNERABILITY IS FAOVRABLE

D: Q T 5 4                      8 7 6 2                    - SPADES IS THE BOSS SUIT

C: Q 7 6                         A K J 8                   - DIAMOND KING LOOKS TO BE WINNER

                                                                  THE SECOND PASS WAS WORSE

                     S: Q J T 6 4                             - WHO WANTS TO DEFEND 1NT?

                     H: Q 4                                  THE THIRD PASS IS EVEN WORSE

                     D: K 9 3                                   - THEY HAVE A FIT, SO DO WE

                     C: 5 4 2                                    - NORTH HAS 4 SPADES