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Daily Bridge in New Zealand

“HIGH FIVE”

The ace is the highest card of a bridge pack where we do not allow any jokers or give special privileges to bowers. However, we all know how important those little cards at the bottom end of a pack can be. I was rather amused by the ending which occurred on the following board in a recent Pairs event on BBO.  

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North Deals
Both Vul
8 6
K 5 4 2
Q 8 7 6 2
Q 3
A 10 5 4 3
A 10 7
10
9 8 4 2
 
N
W   E
S
 
8 6 3
A K J 5 3
A J 10 7 6
 
K Q J 9 7 2
Q J 9
9 4
K 5
West North East South
  Pass 1  1 
Pass 1 NT 2  2 
Dbl All pass    

 

Which 7 tricks did the defence score?

The opening lead? You decide what you would have led.

In what was a part-score deal, South was a tad unlucky to run into a 2-level penalty double. One could be a little critical of North’s 1NT bid and South’s competitive 2Spade-small call because of lack of aces and rather soft values and in South’s case, poor shape. However, East-West were about to collect a likely 130 in their club part-score. So, even -100 in 2Spade-small would be good for North-South.

However, the double was unwelcome news. West had been waiting for such a development with their pass of 1Spade-small. They got their wish.

How many down should 2Spade-smallx be? The Diamond-small10 should hold the first trick, though holding the Diamond-small9, there might be merit in declarer covering, although South had no deep losers in side suits. After Diamond-small10, West can switch to a club with South winning the Club-smallK on the first round.

Knowing there will be a bad break in trumps, South would like a couple of heart tricks and so could lead Heart-smallJ which West will win to lead a second club. East takes Club-smallA and Diamond-smallK, with West discarding a heart. Four tricks so far for the defence with the rest having to come from trumps.

East can play Diamond-smallA forcing a ruff. We will assume South ruffs with Spade-small7. West does best not to overruff but to discard their remaining heart. Next comes Spade-smallK which should also be ducked to be followed by Spade-small2 towards dummy’s Spade-small8. West takes Spade-small10 and plays a third club ruffed by Spade-small9.

West has Spade-small A54 left, declarer on lead with Spade-smallQJ and a high heart. The defence must make two more tricks to add to the 5 already taken. That is down 2, a nice + 500 for East-West.

In reality

However, at the table, the play did not quite go that way. Well, the first six tricks did, Diamond-small10, club ducked, Heart-smallQ taken by ace and then a second round of clubs to the ace. Next came the Diamond-smallKA with declarer ruffing with Spade-small7 but West overruffing with Spade-small10. West exited their remaining heart to the jack.

Next came Spade-smallK taken by the Spade-smallA with West giving declarer a ruff and discard by playing a club. A little unwisely, declarer ruffed with Spade-small8 in dummy, discarding their remaining heart from hand.

South held Spade-small QJ92 and West Spade-small 543 and a club. Declarer had to play a red card from dummy and rather cursed the fact that they still held that little Spade-small2!

So, out came a heart and a ruff with Spade-small9. There followed a rather hopeful claim from the declarer for the last three tricks. “Claim rejected” came the unwelcome news for South. At trick 13, the Spade-small2 lost rather ingloriously to the Spade-small5 or if West had a real sense of the macabre and discarded their high spades (like the Spade-small4 and Spade-small5!), the loss would be to the Spade-small3! Down 2…-500 but not quite the way it was supposed to be!

So, did you pick that the 7 defensive tricks were Diamond-small10 and K, Club-smallA, Heart-smallA Spade-smallA10 and Spade-small 5 (or Spade-small3) but the last not by ruffing and indeed by following suit? If so, I suspect you were at the table when it happened! 

North Deals
None Vul
7 2
A J 9 6
J 8 5
A 6 4 2
   
N
W   E
S
 
A Q 10 8 6 3
10 8 7 4
6
Q J
West North East South
  dummy you  
  Pass 2  Pass
Pass Dbl Pass 3 NT
All pass      

 

South’s jump to game is a little surprising from a hand that had passed your Weak 2 opening.

Your partner leads Spade-smallJ which holds the first trick. Partner continues with Spade-small5 which you win with Spade-smallA. Unfortunately, you do not see the Spade-smallK appear! Which card do you play to trick 3?

Sunday will reveal all…

Richard Solomon

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