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An important lead.

A lead problem for you today as we feature another key board from the third round of the Trans -Tasman Challenge. It’s OK. After a long competitive sequence, there are only four suits from which to choose!

 

 

1 was Precision style, 11-15. It looked like your side was going to buy the contract in 3 (3 was an artificial game try with spade support) until North emerged, prepared to compete in a minor at the 4 level. You bid one more but so did South, leaving you on lead.

Today’s deal provided 14 valuable imps for New Zealand Mixed 1 with all 4 players contributing to the gain. Firstly, Liz Fisher produced a slightly off-beat take-out double of the 1 opening which proved very effective when her partner, Blair, jumped all the way to 4 very quickly. Even though North had called 1NT over the double, neither opponent saw fit at equal nil vul to compete to the 5 level. Blair found a very suitable dummy:

 

 

There were just two hearts and a club to lose for a very comfortable + 420. Meanwhile, until Jo Simpson, at the other table, competed at the 4-level, their opponents were due to collect 170. Sam Simpson (South)’s 5 bid meant they would not concede more than 100. However, to beat 5, East had to lead their singleton diamond to score a ruff with their other singleton.

                                                               A Team Effort

     
  Blair and Liz                                                             Jo and Sam

In the event, they chose a spade and Jo took full advantage. She ruffed to play K and then a heart to her ace to be followed by a second spade ruff and then a club to her ace. Next came a diamond to the king. West took their ace, cashed J and tried to cash another spade but Jo could ruff and still could play QJ, ruff a diamond with her last trump and had K and a winning diamond in dummy for the last two tricks. Dummy’s two hearts had disappeared on the third round of each black suit.

Had Q been led at trick 1, declarer must win in the North hand, play just one round of trumps before attacking diamonds. A second heart leaves dummy still with entries by ruffing spades to run diamonds and set up the 5th round for declarer while West can only ruff with their winning trump...too late to cash a heart. 

All up, a hard-earnt 14 imps for the New Zealand Mixed Team in their win which moved them up to 2^nd place in the Challenge.

Richard Solomon

 

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