IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

 

A common mistake made at the bridge table is playing too quickly to trick one.  This declarer took the extra time to understand what he needed to do and then followed that plan.

 

 

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

Hand#31

Dlr

W

Vul

E/W

S

AJ9

H

J54

D

Q109

C

A1092

S

K108542

H

AK6

D

 

C

8763

  pad  

S

Q763

H

3

D

K854

C

QJ54

 

S

 

H

Q109872

D

AJ7632

C

K

West

North

East

South

    2S

   Pass

    Pass

    3H

   Pass

    4H

    4S

    5H

   Pass 

   Pass

    Pass

   

             

   

 

 

 

BIDDING:  East should have raised spades immediately but waited until the opponents had reached game.  South did not like his chances on defense so he reached the five-level.  It is remarkable that West did not double.

 

PLAY:   West decided against a spade lead and instead chose the eight of clubs.  Declarer saw he had two trump losers so he must find the king of diamonds in the East hand.  He also realized it might be difficult to reach dummy because the club lead removed the only obvious entry.  Still, the jack of hearts looked like as possible way to get to dummy so he won the king of clubs and led the ten of hearts from his hand.  West won the king and continued with another club ruffed by declarer.  Next, the nine of hearts was led and ducked by West as East discarded a spade.  Now a third round of hearts put West into the lead and anything he led would give declarer that precious entry.  West chose a spade and it was easy for declarer to win the ace and take the winning diamond finesse.

 

It’s clear that winning the first club in dummy to take the diamond finesse would not be successful.

 

 

Copyright ©2010 Larry Matheny