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    Bad luck?

Jan’s Day has a Trump Problem

It is more than a little annoying when any very good contract is put into grave danger by a bad trump break but even more so when it is a slam.

 

West led J which you win to play a diamond to the king on which East discards a low heart. Over to you.

Jan Cormack

Meeting the challenge of adverse distribution

“ There are hands where you can happily claim your contract after the first few tricks. There are others where the outcome is in doubt because the result depends on how the adverse cards are divided or how you choose to play the hand.

The challenge is that when adverse distribution is exposed, and success seems doubtful, the contract can still be made with correct play.

Today’s deal required careful planning after an adverse trump break was exposed.  

3 was natural and strong. Although South agreed clubs, North confirmed diamond support (4) and then jumped to slam after South showed a control in spades (4).

South won the J lead and played a small diamond to dummy’s king to expose the bad break. These were the four hands:

 

The only way to avoid two trump tricks was an elimination, with an end-play in trumps against West.

To make this possible, South had to shorten their trump length in both hands. Declarer cashed two top hearts and ruffed a heart low in hand. However, West over-ruffed with the A being the second setting trick for the defence.

South’s planning was inadequate. To have any chance of success, West had to hold at least three clubs. So, South should have played on clubs immediately. When West showed up with four clubs, South could ruff dummy’s fourth club successfully, even though the J was a winner. (had West only three clubs, declarer would have to hope they had three hearts and ruff the fourth club high at trick 11).

Then cash AK and play three rounds of spades, ruffing the third round in dummy. Luckily for South, West would have to follow suit to all the above tricks with the three- card ending being as follows, with declarer in the North hand:

 

Declarer would play 3 from dummy and ruff with J. West has to over-ruff with A but is then obliged to lead a trump giving South both of the last two trump tricks.

as if by

 

Good fortune certainly but good timing…if only”.

 

Little Clues can mean a lot…for less experienced players and others

 

1NT rebid was 12-14 hcp. West led 2 (4^TH highest leads) with East contributing J. Over to you?

Richard Solomon

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