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The Wrong Road.

This might seem a strange title for an article which we hinted yesterday would come under the overall heading of “You never know your luck”. Yet, both statements are relevant as most declarers, given the opportunity to make their contract, took the one route to failure. Unfortunately, it seemed at the time the most obvious route to take.

 

South could have invited game and might even have finished up in 3NT but they went all the way to the spade game over 2. West led 2 to East’s ace with East returning 9. It looks like West has led away from a four- card diamond suit headed by the queen.

You have 26 hcp between the two hands though potentially too many losers. What to do? Oh, the trump break is favourable, both defenders having two.

Well, that was one piece of good news. Another for a few declarers was that they received a club lead from West. With East holding the A, there were only ever going to be three red suit losers: contract made.

On a diamond lead

However, almost everyone else, who either received a diamond lead and continuation or a trump lead, soon got lost. You can guess what they did. They took the club finesse … and as this is real life, it lost! No West was then kind enough to lead a heart away from the queen, with the contract finishing one down.

Certainly, you may need eventually to take the club finesse if all other avenues are used up. However, this is “good luck” day and there was absolutely no need to take that club finesse. The contract could make easily with the club finesse failing, with the Q well protected (i.e. not falling in one or two rounds) and with two certain diamond losers.

Remember those last four words as we look at all four hands:

 

Our South did well to win the K at trick 2 (though the contract was still cold even if they had finessed). That 9 looked very like from an original holding of A9x and while those who lead 4^th highest could be trusted to have just that with the initial 2 lead, it would be sad if the third round of diamonds were to be ruffed by East.

Not today. You win the K and play your top two spades and feel a little better. If that club finesse works (or Q is singleton or doubleton), you will have 10 tricks. Wait, though. What are you going to do with your losing diamond? Discard it on….? It is a  certain loser. So, lose it, now. Not later. Let the opponents work out what to do next.

So, play your losing diamond. West is, as National was last Saturday night, “not well placed”. Let’s say they avoid immediate disaster by exiting a small heart. Yes, you could run it to your jack but it is at best a 50-50 guess. Then, there would be another 50-50 guess in the club suit if East held Q!

There’s no guess needed. If West has led away from the queen, they will soon be leading a club as you rise with A, cash K and play a third round of hearts. If East holds the Q and wins the third round, you are back to taking the club finesse. Not today, though, as West wins and plays a low club, rather fearful of the outcome. They should be.

Note that the contract can be made even if East finds a club switch at trick 2. Declarer can finesse, unsuccessfully, but West cannot continue diamonds. Eventually, South can play K and a third diamond forcing West to lead away from the Q or concede a ruff and discard.

Not just good luck

There are so many roads to success. Yet, there were so many who took the club finesse too early and failed: the only road to failure. What a shame when the breaks were so favourable.

“Do not take an unnecessary finesse.

First, try any other way.

Lose certain losers: you may not need to guess.

Lucky? Sure. Yet, a neat kind of play.”

 

“To bid or not to bid”. Those are the questions.

 

PAIRS.

3 is a Weak Jump Overcall. Are you bidding now? If you pass and East raises to 4, are you bidding then?
If you defend, what is your lead?

Richard Solomon

 

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