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WRONG BUT ALL RIGHT.

A couple of days ago, we gave an example of being “wrong” but “right” in the bidding. Here, we look at a play problem where being wrong did not mean that your contract had to fail.

It may have been more helpful if one’s opponents have better system agreements though one often has to deal with uncertainty at the table. So, the situation below is not uncommon.

 

What we know about the bidding is "not enough" but will have to do. 2 showed hearts and clubs, Michaels style, though there was no agreement as to strength or what 2 would have meant from East. Presumably Michaels as well!

You doubled 2 trying to show three card support for partner though got no reaction. 3 was preference and there you were, to make a decision. 3NT had some merit. So, you tried to it and no-one doubled!

The lead is the K and armed with not a lot of information, your aim is to make 9 tricks…don’t worry at this stage about overtricks!

If we had known the strength of the Michaels' bid, we would have more of an idea where the A might be. Where it is affects our play to trick 1. We need at least one diamond trick even if we can bring home 5 spade tricks, along with the club finesse, which should work. If East has the A and we duck the K, we cannot stop them taking 4 heart tricks and the A (well, on the face of it, at least) but we can if we win trick 1 with J a threat in dummy.

However, if West has A, then we must duck one round of hearts. So, win or duck that K?

Declarer decided to play West for that card and ducked. A low heart was continued to East’s 10 and the A. South played a spade to the ace (no singleton queen!) and a low diamond from table. Curtains! This was the lay-out.

 

If West held the A and the spades were as friendly as they could be (they were!), there was no danger to the contract. However, note that South still needed the club finesse to work (or score a second diamond trick). The club finesse did seem more likely to work than the A be with West.

So, return to hand with a club to the queen (not the diamond) and take the spade finesse and run the spades. East had to keep four winners to beat the contract. Their first two discards could be clubs..but the third discard from Q86 A  KJ ? East’s best chance would be to throw another club hoping West held 9…but no joy and South would have made 9 tricks without making one in diamonds.

While South went wrong at trick 1, there was still a chance they could survive if the lay-out was kind. The percentage chance of success was actually greater than a 50% guess as South could still come to 9 tricks even when they guessed wrong!

Down to the Wire

You are 730 points up going into the last board of 30 in our National Rubber Bridge competition and the opposition are needing a slam or a sizeable penalty off you to advance. This is your hand, with neither side vulnerable and the start of a fresh Rubber

 

What if anything would you open?

Richard Solomon

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