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Daily Bridge in New Zealand
Out Pipped!
You have heard the saying many times about the fact if you bid your hand up, then you must play it well. So, it is time to say it once more because today you have certainly bid your hand fearlessly. I need say no more.
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East Deals |
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West |
North |
East |
South |
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1 ♣ |
1 ♥ |
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Pass |
2 ♣ |
Dbl |
4 ♥ |
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All pass |
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1
could have been short but by the double of 2 was not. You have not the best of trump suits but put in an overcall. Then, when your partner shows game interest in hearts with their 2 bid, you take on the challenge straightaway.
West leads J which you win in dummy, East encouraging. You start off with 
J which holds the trick and then play a low diamond from dummy on which East plays 
A. East continues with K which you ruff with 
7. West overruffs with K and exits 2. Your play?
You still have to deal with the possibility of having to ruff two diamonds in dummy. If you can do that, or indeed if the Q appears in thee rounds, then one ruff is enough and you can afford to lose to Q, losing perhaps just two trumps and A. So, you rise with A but all is not quite as it seemed:
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East Deals |
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West |
North |
East |
South |
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1 ♣ |
1 ♥ |
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Pass |
2 ♣ |
Dbl |
4 ♥ |
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All pass |
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Just a little false-card from West but an effective one. After winning A, declarer cashed K and ruffed a diamond. Both defenders followed but no Q had appeared.
These cards remained with the defence having taken 2 tricks:
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A spade was played to Q and J ruffed in dummy with West throwing a spade. Declarer played a spade to the ace and then 10 which West ducked and rightly so. West took the last two trump tricks to beat the contract. The contract would have been made had South inserted J on the second round of the suit or had West won 10 with their Q. By ruffing with K, West had given the impression that the Q was elsewhere and followed this up with the necessary duck of the 10.
Bridget and Tony
The cunning West was my Congress successor, Bridget Hannaway, who with the nice defence above amongst others won the prize with her partner, Tony Quinlivan, at the North Island Pairs of top pair in the event who did not include a grand-master. It was the first time Bridget and Tony had played live together at a tournament.
More tomorrow for our JIN Club members.
Richard Solomon
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