♠ 7
♥ 8 3
♦ A K 10 9 8 6 3
♣ Q 10 4
♠ K 10 9 5 ♠ A 6 3
♥ Q 6 5 ♥ 9
♦ Q J ♦ 7 5 4 2
♣ 9 7 5 3 ♣ A K J 8 2
♠ Q J 8 4 2
♥ A K J 10 7 4 2
♦ ---
♣ 6
I was the dealer with both sides vulnerable and opened 3♦. I'm not sure what the best bid is with the South hand, but Notzia bid 4♥, a reasonable shot.
West led the ♣9 won by East with the jack. He continued with the ♣A, and that was ruffed. Declarer advanced the ♠J which was taken by the ace. The ♣K was returned and ruffed.
Declarer ruffed a spade in dummy and cashed the ♦A K, discarding two spades. When the ♦Q J fell, he led the ♦10 and discarded his last spade. West ruffed, but now his ♥Q fell under declarer's ♥A K and the contract was made.
The contract can be defeated. At trick two, East can shift to the ♥9. Declarer wins and advances a spade. West has to win this and lead a heart, preferrably the ♥Q. He gives up his heart trick, but it prevents a ruff in dummy and an entry to the ♦A K.
Should West find this play? Would you find it?
Making 4♥ was worth 3.56 IMPs for our side. If we were defeated, we would have lost 9.30 IMPs, a huge swing.
The board was played 70 times. Ten times it was played in 3 ♥, twice in 4♣ and once in 4♦. The other 57 contracts were 4 ♥. You can see all the results of this board if you click here.
Ha - reading your blog when you post about Bridge is like reading a foreign language.
ReplyDeleteJust go all in? lol
Bridge is a foreign language, for sure. Maybe bet half the pot, then go all in if raised?
ReplyDeleteAs an intermediate, I probably wouldn't find it. It takes a bit of imagination to guess a diamond void in declarer's hand, but the is really picturing a holding that can be defeated, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAn instructive hand.
Thanks, Warren, for your comment. If your partner signals count on the spade lead, then if you decide declarer has 5 spades, and then you might guess he has 7 hearts. I say might, no one in the OKbridge field did. Sometimes, bridge is just too tough.
ReplyDelete