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Never in Doubt!

The title of yesterday’s article was “Could Be Worse” and the theme around today’s could be along the lines of “could be a lot better”! Indeed, chances of South bringing home 10 tricks would seem pretty low. Does that mean that you give up? Not if you are keen to do well! A 1% chance of bringing in your contract is worth a try and the odds of making today’s deal must be much greater than that…well, a little greater!

 

2 was a weak jump. So, you, South have a challenge of making 4 here. West started with three rounds of hearts (AK then a small heart, East showing an even number of hearts.) You ruff the third round. What next?

Jan Cormack

 

It’s Jan’s Day: You can do it, partner.

 

" “Doing it” is making 4. 2 was a weak jump and it could not have been much weaker!

There are occasions after your partner has proudly displayed dummy that the success of your contract seems very remote.

Declarer was Pauline Gumby, a member of the Australian Women’s team at the Tokyo Far Eastern Championships in 1979. At the sight of dummy, Pauline must have felt the gods needed to be very favourably disposed for her 4 contract to have any chance of success.

Pauline had already lost two tricks to the top two hearts. She had a certain club loser, had to play trumps for no losers and even then had to find a resting place for her third diamond (assuming QJ were not doubleton).

Pauline had to return to her hand to take the trump finesse and in the process had to set up the club suit for one winner to discard that diamond.

So, at trick 3, Pauline made the key play of the K:

 

East returned a small club (no other return would have been any better for the defence). Pauline ruffed and led a trump towards dummy inserting J and then brought down the king under the ace. Next came a second club ruff and a rather nice feeling for Pauline when the Q fell from the West hand.

 

The diamond loser could now be discarded on the J and Pauline had her 10 tricks.

Once Pauline had played K at trick 4, the defence was completely powerless. Lucky for sure but well played nevertheless.”

 

Pauline, along with regular partner, Warren Lazer, has been a top Australian player for many years and a frequent visitor to our National Bridge Congress. They won the New Zealand Teams in 2018.  

 

It is interesting which of two lines is the best for declarer to take at trick 4. On the above lay-out, Pauline was absolutely correct. However, an alternative is to call for a small club from dummy at trick 4. If East held A and not the Q, could they be tempted to play it picking declarer held singleton queen? They should not but, as we know many contracts have been made because a defender did what they “should not” do.

Percentage… or Cunning?

Say, East held AQ but not T. Could East resist inserting the queen?

The subterfuge a desperate declarer can go to (and Pauline was desperate!) is endless…. and defenders can misread such situations.  

 

 

Any rethink? For less experienced players and others.

You are playing Teams. This is your hand and the bidding so far.

 

1NT shows a strong no trump, 15-18, with a heart hold. The rest of the bidding is natural. Are you content now to pass?

Richard Solomon

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