IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

With Larry Matheny

 

There is no doubt bridge is a “thinking man’s” game but we often complicate it.

 

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)

#14-12

Dlr

E

Vul

N/S

S

AQ62

H

J865

D

7

C

Q762

S

 92

H

 K73

D

 KJ1098

C

 K43

/images/pad.bmp

S

 K875

H

 1092

D

 6432

C

 98

 

S

J104

H

AQ4

D

AQ5

C 

AJ105

 

 

  West

 North

East

South

      

 

 Pass

 1C

 1D

DBL

 2D

 2NT

   Pass

   3NT

   Pass

   Pass

   Pass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

   

       

   

Bidding:  South’s hand was too strong for 1NT so he started with 1C.  West overcalled and North made a negative double showing both majors.  East made a light raise followed by South’s jump to 2NT.  North carried on game.

 

Play:  After South’s strong bidding, West was confident both the ace and queen of diamonds were held by declarer.  To avoid giving up a trick to the diamond queen, West led the nine of spades.  Declarer rose with the ace of spades followed by the queen of clubs.  West won the king and exited with a second spade to his partner’s king.  East switched to a diamond ducked by declarer.  West won the eight and exited with a club.  Declarer cashed his black suit winners coming down to this position:

 

                              HJ865 

            HK7

            DKJ

                              HAQ  DAQ

 

Declarer led a heart to the ace followed by the queen and West had to concede the ninth trick.  The irony is that after all of this work by West, it turns out an original diamond lead would have defeated the contract.