Little Things Mean A Lot
by Ron Klinger
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![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
♠ 10 8 6 5
♥ 10 8 7 4
♦ A 7 6
♣ Q 4 |
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♠ A 4
♥ K 5 3
♦ Q 10 9 4
♣ J 9 8 7 |
With both sides vulnerable:
West | North | East | South
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| | | Pass
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1♣ | Pass | 1♥ | Pass
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1♠ | Pass | Pass | Dble
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Pass | 1NT | All Pass
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The play goes:
1. ♠8: four queen - king
2. ♦8: six four king
3. ♠2: three five ace
4. ♦Q: two three ace
5. ♠6: ♦9 from dummy ♠J ♠9
6. ♠7: ♣5 from North ♠10 - ♥3 from dummy
What would you play next as East?
The deals that appear in Daily Bulletins or tournament reports usually feature a big swing, something spectacular or high-level contracts. Often the struggle between declarer and the defence at a low level can be just as fascinating. So it was early on in the semi-finals:
Board 7. Dealer South..All Vul. |
| ♠ K 9 3 ♥ A Q J 6 ♦ J 8 3 ♣ 10 6 5 | ♠ Q J 7 2 ♥ 9 2 ♦ K 5 2 ♣ A K 3 2 | ![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) | ♠ 10 8 6 5 ♥ 10 8 7 4 ♦ A 7 6 ♣ Q 4 | | ♠ A 4 ♥ K 5 3 ♦ Q 10 9 4 ♣ J 9 8 7 |
At two tables East/West had a comfortable time:
West | North | East | South
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Kranyak | Grainger | Grue | Lavee
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G.Grenthe | Bruas | J.Grenthe | Araszkiew
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| | | Pass
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1♣/1♦ | Pass | 1♥ | Pass
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1♠ | Pass | 2♠ | All Pass
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This contract was safe and at both tables a trump was led. Grenthe made eight tricks and Kranyak scored an overtrick. After three rounds of spades, he led hearts and South pitched a club on the third heart.
The interesting battles took place at the other tables:
West | North | East | South
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Wolpert | Hurd | Demuy | Wooldridge
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| | | Pass
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1♣ | Pass | 1♥ | Pass
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1NT | All Pass
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North led the ♦3 to the queen and king. West played the ♠J: three, five, ace, and South returned the ♦4: five, eight, seven. North continued with the ♦J: ace, ten, two. The ♠6 came from dummy to the queen and king and North did very well to shift to the ♥6: four, king, two. This was the position:
| ♠ 9 ♥ A Q J ♦ ♣ 10 6 5 | ♠ 7 2 ♥ 9 ♦ ♣ A K 3 2 | ![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) | ♠ 10 8 ♥ 10 8 7 ♦ ♣ Q 4 | | ♠ ♥ 5 3 ♦ 9 ♣ J 9 8 7 |
South cashed the ♦9 and had to decide what to play next. The play on the ♦9 was significant. West threw the ♣2, North the ♠9 and East the ♠8. No sooner had the words ‘Fine defence’ appeared on BBO, when South switched to a club and declarer had seven tricks for +90, but 2 IMPs to USA1. No doubt North thought that the low heart switch was sufficient guidance for South, but a club-discouraging discard from North on the ♦9 might have confirmed to South that a heart return was necessary.
Finally:
West | North | East | South
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Kotorowicz | O.Bessis | Kalita | De Tessieres
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| | | Pass
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1♣ | Pass | 1♥ | Pass
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1♠ | Pass | Pass | Dble
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Pass | 1NT | All Pass
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East led the ♠8: four, queen (sic), king, and declarer played the ♦8: six, four, king. The ♠2 took out the ace, East playing the ♠5. The ♦Q came from dummy: two, three, ace. When East continued with the ♠6 to the jack, declarer discarded the ♦9 from dummy. This was the position:
| ♠ ♥ A Q J 6 ♦ J ♣ 10 6 5 | ♠ 7 ♥ 9 2 ♦ 5 ♣ A K 3 2 | ![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) | ♠ 10 ♥ 10 8 7 4 ♦ 7 ♣ Q 4 | | ♠ ♥ K 5 3 ♦ 10 ♣ J 9 8 7 |
When the next spade was played, North threw the ♣5 and South the ♥3. The spotlight was on East. What should he play next? To the viewing audience a club was obvious. When East chose the ‘safe’ heart exit, declarer had seven tricks for the first 5 IMPs to France.
Could East have found the solution? When West won the first diamond with the king, it was reasonable to place declarer with the ♦J. When East won the second diamond, dummy’s ♦10-9 were winners. Why then did declarer discard a winner on the third spade? Because he already had enough tricks for his contract or because he had started with ♦J-8-5-3. If he had enough tricks the other winners would have to be in hearts, as he could not count on three or four winners in clubs.
Another aspect: West has shown up with 6 HCP and can have 6-8 more points. The only combination of those points which will give the defence three more tricks is the A-K in clubs (with nothing in hearts, or with ♥Q-x or ♥Q-x-x, declarer would not have thrown a heart from dummy when a club discard is safe). It is difficult to switch to the ♣Q, but perhaps not impossible. |