Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the maze of Fisher-Schwartz. I want to show you some things that will blow your mind!
These hands are all from the 2011 Transnationals Final vs. Australia. They sat N/S as usual. In 48 boards, how bad could it be?
First, opening lead problems:
Set 1 of 3
Board 4
What's your lead?
Schwartz led the ♥4 from 642. Partner's hearts were AK753!
Is this just lucky or is there more involved?
Set 1 of 3
Board 12
What would you lead?
Lotan not only found a club lead, but the ♣Q lead, on a hand where partner is likely to be shorter in clubs. Is it still a surprise that partner had AJ72 of clubs and JT763 of spades?
Set 2 of 3
Board 4
What would you lead?
Lotan led a spade.
Your partner has shown a vulnerable weak 2♥ and you have 109x hearts but that's not good enough to lead a heart against 3NT?? On the previous hand at favorable Lotan did not open a Multi with ♠97 ♥J107642 ♦Q54 ♣A4 so one can only imagine his suit was not good enough?
Set 2 of 3
Board 11
What would you lead?
What if you knew partner had good diamonds?
Yep, Schwartz led the ♦6. Still lucky?
Set 3 of 3
Board 18
What would you lead?
What if I told you partner held ♣K10874?
You guessed it! Lotan lead the ♣5 from A65!
Set 3 of 3
Board 24
What would you lead?
They led ♥J:
Naturally, partner held AK72 of hearts and singleton ♦7.
Strange bidding decisions occurred from the same match which suggest knowledge of range:
Set 1 of 3
Board 1
What's your call?
At the table, Ron Schwartz doubled!
Very strange double on 2 jacks at the 5 level as a passed hand.
They show on their system card that they play forcing pass if they bid a vul game, but here, this is a passed hand opposite a nil vul Michaels bid and an unlimited 5♦ bid on your right. Double was not alerted as showing a weak hand.
Set 2 of 3
Board 1
What's your call?
At the table, Lotan passed.
Very conservative bidding by Lotan with 20 points and 5 spades. I don't know about you, but when I bid 3♥ here, my most likely hand is a very good hand with 3 spades. He never really showed his spade length and managed to stop in 3♠. Was it just luck that partner only had 3 spades and 3 points?
Set 2 of 3
Board 7
Both vul, would you open?
Say you pass, I wouldn't but some would. 1♦ on your left, 2♦ Michaels from partner, and 3♦ on your right.
What would you bid now?
Where would 3♠ rank on your list of possible bids?
What if you intended on selling out to 4♦???
How can South bid like this after passing?! Not bidding a vul game after partner shows Michaels is astonishing. Of course partner happens to only be 5-5 and 7 points.
Well judged Lotan. At least we were spared the Ron heart lead against 3NT-X on this bidding!
Set 2 of 3
Board 9
What's your call?
Lotan selects 2♦. It takes a special "talent" to bid 2♦ when holding A932 in the other major. Here it was not important as partner had a minimum opening.
Well judged!
In contrast on board 14 his partner makes a negative double as we would here:
Here Ron holds a powerful 5432 in the other major but admittedly 9 points and makes a negative double. It was essential here as partner had 19 points with AQJx of spades and they collect 800! Well judged again.
Set 2 of 3
Board 15
What call do you make?
Schwartz passed.
Schwartz bids just once with his 21 points and his partner has a crappy 4 count.
It's been an enlightening trip, I hope, but here I must take leave of you. I'm hoping now that you will be able to find your own way through the labyrinth of Fisher-Schwartz.
Benefits include:
Plus... it's free!