Missed Crocodile

The Indonesian team MUNAWAR should go a long way in the Power Rosenblum and they duly saw off the challenge of England's PANAHPOUR during the round robin. However, the English came out on top on this deal from the first half of the match.

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
	ª K Q 10 9 4 © K ¨ K 10 6 3 § 9 6 3
ª J 7 5 3 2 © 10 8 ¨ 9 4 § J 8 7 4		ª A © 5 4 3 ¨ A Q J 8 2 § A K 5 2
	ª 8 6 © A Q J 9 7 6 2 ¨ 7 5 § Q 10

South, Henky Lasut opened 3© and, when that came around to Phil King, he found the interesting shot of overcalling 3NT, where he played. Not surprisingly, Lasut did not find the ©A lead that would have netted the first seven tricks for his side, preferring to try a spade. Winning the ªA, King basically decided to cash out and see how many tricks he came to.

Things looked a little more rosy when the §Q fell. King crossed to the §J and led the nine of diamonds. Of course, he had no intention of running the nine, but it would cost nothing. And it no doubt seemed harmless to Eddy Manoppo when he covered with the ten, but that play was to come back to haunt him later in the play. King finessed the ¨J and crossed to dummy with the fourth club to repeat the diamond finesse. When South followed with the ¨7, and bearing in mind the vulnerability that surely guaranteed that he would have seven hearts, King decided that there was no point in cashing the ace of diamonds as that would be giving up on any hope of making the contract. So he instead led a heart from hand. Lasut looked at that but eventually put in the jack and Manoppo was forced to win the king. After cashing his spade winners, Manoppo was left to lead into declarer's ¨A8 at trick twelve; nine tricks for a wonderful +600. See why the innocent diamond cover was expensive?

At the other table the Indonesian East overcalled 4¨ and Moza Panahpour, North, doubled and collected 500, so his team picked up 15 IMPs.
How would you play this one:

You are East, playing 4ª after opening 2NT. South lead the ©3 to North's ace and back comes the two of clubs. Manoppo and Panahpour both found the switch and both declarers judged that the risk of a club ruff was too great to take the safety play in trumps. They both rose with the ace of clubs and cashed the top spades, and that meant one down because South held:

ª Q 10 5 3
© 10 7 6 3
¨ 8 6 4
§ K 3

Neat Endplay

Playing in the McConnell Qualifying, you open a weak 2ª holding:

ª K Q 8 7 4 3
© 9 6 3
¨ Q 6
§ 9 3

Left-hand-opponent bids 3ª, asking partner to bid 3NT with a spade stopper and, after a pass from your partner, RHO jumps to 5§, ending the auction. What would you lead?

You might reason that LHO has asked for a spade stopper and RHO failed to bid 3NT, therefore the opposition should not have a spade stopper and a spade lead makes sense. OK, so which spade?

At the table, the choice was a club, but this was not good enough, as you can see from the full deal:

	ª K Q 8 7 4 3 © 9 6 3 ¨ Q 6 § 9 3
ª J 9 2 © J 7 ¨ A J 8 4 2 § 8 6 4		ª 10 6 5 © A K 5 ¨ 7 § A K Q J 10 5
	ª A © Q 10 8 4 2 ¨ K 10 9 5 3 § 7 2

England's Heather Dhondy, playing against the USA COMPTON team, won the club lead and drew a second round. Then she played ace of diamonds and ruffed a diamond, dropping the queen, before exiting with a spade to South's bare ace. Of course, the fact that South would have a bare honour was marked from North's failure to lead the suit. What was also required was that South should hold the ©Q. And when South took her only chance by exiting with the ¨10, Dhondy had to judge to play for the actual position rather than for ¨KQ6 with North. She duly did so to chalk up +600 and 10 IMPs against the 4§ just making on the ace of spades lead at the other table.

As you can see, the lead of a spade honour costs a spade trick, while a low spade gets the ace out of the way and gets South off the later endplay. A heart lead should also defeat the contract as South can then exit with the ©Q when put in with the ªA.

The Diamonds were…Paste

By Ady Koffler

Playing in the World Championships Mixed Pairs, second session finals, this hand came up with Nancy Koffler, Canada, (South) playing with her husband Ady.

Dealer North. E/W Vul
	ª A Q J 7 © Q 8 5 2 ¨ 10 9 7 2 § A
ª K 10 3 2 © J 10 6 ¨ K J 6 5 § K 4		ª 9 5 © A 9 4 ¨ A Q 4 3 § 10 8 6 3
	ª 8 6 4 © K 7 3 ¨ 8 § Q J 9 7 5 2

West	North	East	South
	1¨	Pass	1NT
All Pass

After a standard auction, West led the two of spades and Nancy found herself in a very unappetizing contract. Pausing for thought before playing to the first trick, Nancy counted her tricks. Three spades (with the finesse hopefully working), one club and one heart left her two tricks short of her goal. Communications were lacking, the diamonds wide open… Then she remembered something her husband had told her years ago: if you play their suit, chances are they will play your suit. Perhaps the opponents will help out if they could be persuaded the diamonds are real.

Winning the queen of spades, Nancy cashed the §A and called for the ¨2! East ran up with the ace and returned the ª9. Nancy won the ªJ, cashed the ªA and played the ª7. East, knowing declarer to have at least seven minor suit cards, and judging from the early play, let go a heart and a diamond on the spades. West, also expecting declarer's source of tricks to be in the minors, switched to the ©J, which ran around to declarer's king. Nancy now played the §Q. West won the king and unclear about the diamond position, cashed the ¨K. Dummy and East followed low and when declarer pitched a club, all realized the diamonds were paste!

West tried the ©10, but declarer ducked in the dummy. East won and after cashing the ¨Q was left with two clubs, while declarer had the winning club and heart, bringing her total to seven tricks.