Here is a hand from the
USA Women’s Trials 2009, as reported by David Greenwood and Andrew Robson. I
found it instructive because it illustrates the value of counting your winners.
South dealt and EW were
vulnerable. Imagine you are sitting South and playing 4S. Here are your hand
and dummy:
S: AKJ6
H: AK54
D: Q86
C: A8
S: ? S: ?
H: ? H: ?
D: ? D: ?
C: ? C: ?
S: 1098742
H: Q
D: 107
C: 10974
West led the nine of
diamonds to East’s jack. East continued with the king of diamonds and West
shows out. East now leads the ace of diamonds. What do you play from hand?
At the table, declarer
ruffed with the spade ten, hoping that East had the queen. West overruffed with
the queen and led the queen of clubs. Declarer won the ace, pulled trumps and
cashed high hearts. However, this still only came to nine tricks, five trumps,
three hearts and the ace of clubs. Declarer had to lose a club at the end for
down one.
So what did you play from
hand on the third diamond? The full deal is shown below.
S: AKJ6
H: AK54
D: Q86
C: A8
S: Q5 S: 3
H: J1087632 H: 9
D: 9 D: AKJ5432
C: QJ3 C: K652
S: 1098742
H: Q
D: 107
C: 10974
If declarer counts
winners, the contract can be made easily. She has six trump tricks, provided
only that West is not void in trumps, three top hearts and the ace of clubs.
The important thing is not to throw away one of these trump tricks by being over
ruffed.
So what do you play at
trick three? The answer is to throw a losing club from hand. The defence is
now helpless. You win any return (if East continues a fourth round of diamonds
you ruff on board), pull trumps, cash the queen of hearts, lead a low trump to
get to board and throw your remaining clubs on dummy’s two top hearts. You have
your ten winners and game.
If you have bridge
questions, or to send me your interesting hands, please contact me at:
[email protected].
