Good matchpoint players are always looking for ways to find extra
tricks. Here's a hand where it was a simple math problem.
Take a look.
Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)
Hand #51
Dlr
E
Vul
N/S
K4
KJ752
AK5
875
QJ9852
9
QJ873
J
106
43
964
KQ10942
A73
AQ1086
102
A63
West
North
East
South
3
3
Pass
4
All Pass
BIDDING: East took
advantage of the vulnerability to preempt with his six-card club
suit. South overcalled and North had an easy raise to game.
In fact, North probably should have cue bid clubs to show a very good
raise.
PLAY: West led his
partner's suit and East overtook with the queen. Declarer won the
ace and saw his only losers were the two small clubs. He drew
trumps and started counting East's hand. He had six clubs and
followed to two hearts. Next declarer played three rounds of
diamonds ruffing in his hand as East followed. He continued with
a spade to dummy's king and another back to his ace. He now had a
complete picture: East was marked with 2-2-3-6 distribution.
Accordingly, declarer led his last spade and discarded a club from
dummy. West won the trick but could only return a spade or a
diamond allowing declarer to discard dummy's last club as declarer
ruffed in his hand. Making six was worth most of the
matchpoints.
Without East's preempt, it would have been difficult for declarer to
obtain a complete count of the distribution.
