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Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory.

It would never happen to you, would it? Before you write today’s article off as being too simplistic, consider all the basic points behind it like:

• Counting your winners.

• Be aware of the dangers.

• Planning at trick 1 before you play to dummy.

• Make sure of your contract before worrying about overtricks.

     So, are you ready?

 

West leads 6. What are your thoughts about playing this board?

If North had any regrets about what was to follow, it would be that they could/should have been declarer by overcalling 1 rather than doubling and presumably intending to show a strong hand with hearts later. Firstly, the K looked a fairly useless 3 hcp although the singleton was of course potentially very useful. Also, their heart suit was only averagely strong. They held no aces.

All this added up to a 1 overcall rather than an initial double. However, when South bid the suit voluntarily, North decided to give 4 a shot. South did indeed have a good hand for 2 and more than made up for their partner’s lack of aces.

It seems South did not give the play too much thought when they saw dummy. They played low from dummy to East’s ace and won the club return (West contributed 5), in dummy to take the heart finesse. After all, East had opened the bidding and was more likely to hold K.

Within 10 seconds, they had lost the next three tricks to be 1 down. 

 

West took the K, then led a diamond to East’s ace. A third round of clubs sealed South’s fate.

Unlucky? Well, one would have to say “not really”. Even playing Pairs, the concept of making sure of your contract first, before overtricks, usually applies. The only exception maybe if you know you are, say, in an inferior game, and need the overtrick(s) to score match-points…say +600 is no good when the field is scoring +620.

Yet, here, South was in a perfectly normal contract. Just about every other pair would be in hearts and almost certainly in game. Yet, South’s line was at best careless.

Firstly, although the club pips above should not fool East, declarer should insert K at trick 1 to give the impression they do not hold J. South should be concerned to avoid a club ruff….though since clubs was East’s second suit, it was unlikely to be a 6-card suit. Alternatively, at trick 1, South should play J from hand. That, too, should not fool East as West bid 3 not 3.

However, the real sin came in the heart play. South was missing just three trumps. They had a club and diamond loser and could comfortably lose to the K and still make their contract. The problem would occur if West held all three trumps. Yet, when East played 5, that was not the case. So, after playing Q, if only because many defenders cover with Kx when it is absolutely pointless to do so (if that was East’s holding here), South should, is advised to, must, might (you choose the appropriate word) play A from hand and then they can claim 10 tricks when West follows with 10. However, if East held all 3 hearts, then this play would result in 2 heart losers. So, best not to play a high honour from dummy. Simply, low to A. 

There was to be no overtrick any way but you must sacrifice it to be sure of 10 tricks. After all, West did find a 3 bid, vulnerable. Surely they held one honour, somewhere?

So, the contract was defeated, not because North made the wrong call over 1 but because South did not carry out some of the basic checks mentioned at the start of this article when they saw dummy.

Hopefully, this did not happen at your table.

Richard Solomon

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