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Playing and Defending - for Those new to the Game
by Richard Solomon
THE WAY WE WERE
A neat song and a title so true of our wonderful game. If you can play a bit now, remember back to those oh so confusing days when you started. The play of the following hand really happened. I know. I watched it from the dummy seat. (In case you know my regular partner(s), he/they are not guilty! This occurred in a very social game with a first time partner!)
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North |
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Dealer South |
♠ A1083 |
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Vul. E/W |
♥ K96 |
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♦ Q6543 |
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West |
♣7 |
East |
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♠ K4 |
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♠ Q5 |
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♥ A42 |
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♥ J1085 |
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♦J9 |
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♦ 1072 |
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♣ AJ10964 |
South |
♣ 8532 |
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♠ J9762 |
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♥ Q73 |
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♦ AK8 |
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♣ KQ |
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West North East South
1♠
2♣ 4♠ All Pass
Although North has only 9 high card points, the singleton club makes it well worth a jump straight to game after West’s overcall. West led the ♦ J won by South’s ace. South led the ♠ J to the king and ace and exited a second spade to East’s queen. East played a club to the queen and ace with West exiting a second diamond to the king.
All was well so far and even when declarer played a third diamond to the queen. Declarer played a fourth diamond..and even though both defenders had already discarded to this suit, ruffed the high diamond in hand. Next came the ♦ K and a discard from dummy…the apparently useless unwanted unloved little ♦ 6. The contract could no longer be made but South ensured this was so by exiting the ♥ Q to West’s ace. Down one…losing a trump, a club and two hearts. “My fault, partner. I overbid with my 9 count.” 
Next time your partner misses a difficult play to make a contract, remember how hard it all is when we start to play…and how good a few encouraging words can be at the right time. It is unlikely South will ever win national titles but she loves the game as much as I do.
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