39th World Team Championships Page 5 Bulletin 10 - Tuesday 8 September 2009


When You Must Not Trip

by Philip Adler

Sometimes a contract looks like a stroll on the lawn, but suddenly a bad break means that declarer has to step cautiously from trick to trick, not tripping and falling into the mud beside the grass.

Dan Gerstman, who is on the USA2 senior team, experienced that on this deal from the Round 19 match against Canada.

Board 12. Dealer West. North-South vul.
 ♠ 10 9
A J 10 5 3
A 2
♣ A Q 7 3

♠ K Q J 8 5
9 8 6
4
♣ J 6 5 2
Bridge deal

K Q 7 4 2
Q 9 7 6 5
♣ 10 8 4
 ♠ A 7 6 4 3 2

K J 10 8 3
♣ K 9

WestNorthEastSouth
SilverPassellCarruthersGerstman
2♠3Pass3NT
All Pass    

We will draw a veil over the other room, where the Canadian North went down one in three hearts.

The given auction probably occurred at a lot of tables. If West is ever going to open a five-card weak two-bid, this would be the time: a strong suit and favorable vulnerability.

If Mike Passell (North) had made a takeout double, South would probably have passed, but would have wondered if he was missing six or seven diamonds. But reasonably North chose to overcall three hearts, which Gerstman (South) corrected to three notrump.

Joey Silver (West) led the spade king, and John Carruthers (East) discarded the club four.

South won with his ace, played a diamond to dummy's ace, and returned a diamond to his jack, expecting to claim. But when West discarded the spade five, play had to continue. Declarer exited with a spade.

West took the trick and shifted to the heart nine, dummy's ten losing to East's queen. Back came a club. South won with his king, played a club to dummy's queen, and cashed the club ace to give this position:

 
A J 5 3

♣ 7

♠ Q 8
8 6

♣ J
Bridge deal

K 7 4
Q 9
 ♠ 7 6

K 10 8

Sadly, the clubs had not divided either. But Gerstman cashed the heart ace (discarding a spade) and carefully continued with the heart jack to make sure that East won the trick, not West, who had three black-suit winners.

East took this trick and cashed his other heart winner, but then had to lead from the queen-nine of diamonds into declarer's king-jack. Whew!

Plus 100 and plus 600 gained 12 IMPs for USA2.



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