IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

 

It is remarkable how many contracts succeed simply because a defender will not count to thirteen.  Here is a case in point.

 

Scoring: IMPs (Teams)

#11-09

Dlr

E

Vul

N/S

S

AK84

H

1087

D

42

C

A982

S

109

H

J42

D

QJ1073

C

Q74

  pad  

S

J5

H

AKQ65

D

K965

C

63

 

S

Q7632

H

93

D

A8

C

KJ105

   

  

West

North

East

South

   

 

    1H

   1S

   Pass

   4S

   Pass

   Pass

     Pass               

   

 

 

 

 

 

BIDDING:  South made a simple one-level overcall and North jumped to game.  As he tabled his hand, North remarked that in a team event he did not want to miss a vulnerable game.  South made a mental note to make sure all of his future overcalls were sound.

 

PLAY:  West led a low heart to his partner’s queen.  On the ace of hearts continuation, West followed with the jack suggesting a card in diamonds, the higher side suit.  East switched to a low diamond and declarer won the ace.  Declarer had lost two hearts and had a diamond to lose so he had to guess the location of the queen of clubs.  Rather than guess, he tried to let the opponents find it for him.  After winning the ace of diamonds, declarer drew trumps and then played his other diamond.  East won with the nine and afraid to give a ruff-sluff, switched to a club.  Declarer now made his game without a club guess.

 

There was no need for East to panic.  He knew declarer had five spades and two hearts so if he held only two diamonds, he must have four clubs and a ruff-sluff would be of no value.  East should simply exit with a red card and make South guess the club queen.  This was no more difficult than counting to thirteen.

 

 

Copyright ©2011 Larry Matheny