Thursday, November 10, 2011

Ruff partner's winner

I heard through the grapevine that Collins Williams, a player from Raleigh NC, is a fan of this blog, but he wishes I would do more bridge and less poker. Okay, Collins, this deal is bridge, and it's for you.

Take at look at all four hands. You are South, declarer in 5 doubled. How many do you expect to go down?


I played this deal on BBO. It looks like I had to lose two top spades. Both high diamonds are onside, so I planned to go to dummy and advance the J and lose only one trump trick for down one, right?

Whoa, not so fast. West cashed two high spades, then led a third and East ruffed his partner's winner with the 8. Now I had to lose two diamond tricks. If he discards, I can play to only lose one.

There's lots of bad bridge online, but give East credit -- he made a nice play.

7 comments:

  1. That was a bold play to trump your partner's winner with a trump that would ordinarily be overtrumped and that would leave the king and queen unprotected. I would not have done it.

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  2. Can't lurk through that!

    Thanks a bunch

    Collins

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  3. Poker, bridge...Scat, UNO, Old Maid...great games all. :-)

    I'll quit now. Isn't it nice that once you're retired you don't have to get all excited about a holiday? Well, it's frustrating not to get mail. Of course, these days mail means Xmas catalogs mostly.

    Have fun. And you're right about the guy on the end...I think he was angry. Or he could have been fleeing from the law (read truant officer)...

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  4. I just wish I could understand the bridge posts. :(

    Happy Veterans Day Sweetie!

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  5. The 8-diamond is a very good spot. With the J-10 in dummy, it is clear that the play can not lose.

    Still, east doesn't have a count of the spades yet. So, it was pretty smart of him to recognize the situation.

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  6. J-10-9 of diamonds (it's probably what you meant to write).

    JRG

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  7. @Dave: You're right

    @Lowell: I went to my mailbox and no mail. What's up with that? I forgot it was a holiday and I'm a vet!

    @Josie: Thanks

    @Valliappa: Yes, he made a nice play.

    @JRG: Yes, good point.

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