IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

With Larry Matheny

 

There are several ways to establish extra tricks.  These include setting up a side suit, trumping cards in dummy, reversing dummy, squeezing the opponents, and the old standby: the cross-ruff.

 

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)

#14-02

Dlr

E

Vul

E/W

S

A1062

H

10865

D

1074

C

74

S

 QJ97

H

 92

D

 63

C

 J10932

/images/pad.bmp

S

 853

H

 KQ7

D

 KJ82

C

 865

 

S

K4

H

AJ43

D

AQ95

C 

AKQ

 

 

  West

 North

East

South

 -      

-

 Pass

 2C

    Pass

 2D

 Pass

 2NT

    Pass

    3C

   Pass

    3H

    Pass

    4H

   Pass

   Pass  

    Pass

 

 

 

 

   

  

  

 

 

 

 

   

       

   

Bidding:  I was South and my rebid showed 22-23 high cards points and a balanced hand.  North used Stayman to find our heart fit.

 

Play:  West led the jack of clubs and I saw possible losers in hearts and diamonds.  I also saw a cross-ruff might be possible.  I won the ace of clubs followed by the king and ace of spades.  Next, I led a diamond to my queen followed by the ace.  I then cashed my other top clubs pitching a diamond from dummy.  Then it was ruff a diamond, ruff a spade to my hand, ruff a diamond, and ruff a spade.  I was now down to the AJ of hearts in my hand and I had 12 tricks.

 

 

Copyright ©2014 Larry Matheny