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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume. 34, Number 7. 1971

Bridge

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Bridge

The last hand we put before our expert panel mutt have been a little too easy. As all the panel were in substantial agreement. John Jowett, Simon Arnold, Charlie Quayle and Ross Quayle all agreed to bid five diamonds in the following rubbar bridge situation, with E-W vulnerable.

W W N E S K Q X X 1H - 20 - A K X X X 2S - 40 - D ? KXX

They all saw East at having at least six diamonds to KQ10 and an outside ace and thought five diamonds a good gamble.

Chas. Flude suggested a Blackwood 4NT. intending to pass 5D and bid the slam over 5H. However, this week the expert panel will be back to its normal happy, argumentative mood discussing what to bid at rubber bridge in the following auction (if S.A. doesn't want to put in any stupid advertisements instead).

W N E S N-S vul. 1S No 1/4 East has S: X X H: A X X X D: A Q J X X X C: X

If you are still wondering what to bid on

S: - H: A K Q D: A K Q C: Q J 1 0 9 8 4 3

When partner bids 5S, the answer is 7 clubs. Ha - ha - ha.

When this hand was played, in response to an anxious query from partner. West announced that it was merely a question of overtricks, and went one down. He let the lead of the nine of spades run up to his queen, went over to the king of clubs to lead the nine of diamonds. It was quite amusing to see the expression on his face when North won with the king. A spade lead now through his king, ten puts him down at once. It takes either a good deal of card sense or a previous encounter with the situation, I think, to put up the king of spades on the first trick South must win with the ace, and now he must switch, unless he cares to lead away from his jack. Either way gives you protection in spades when the diamond finesse loses. (If it wins, of course, your contract is iced.)

Anyway declarer was let off the hook because North, not having a spade left, led a club. West took South's jack with his ace and thought for a while. They heart finnesse was wrong of course. Anyway, there was no harm in running the diamonds, to see what happened. On the four diamonds South played two spades, a small club, and the queen of clubs. West now redeemed himself by throwing South in. Knowing that good players sometimes bare kings in this situation he played the ace and a small heart. South playing the king. Unfortunately, after taking his ace of spades. South was able to get the lead with a small club, and North took the last two club tricks.

Of course, it was clever of South to discard the queen of clubs. Had he not done so, the contract would have made. But even so, declarer made a mistake. The reason West went down was because South had a small club left to lead to partner. Had West held off the second club trick he would have made his contract. It would perhaps be a bit much to expect him to foresee the play exactly, but as a general rule, before you put the pressure on with a long suit, lose as many tricks as you safely can. From South's point of view, every trick his side takes before you run your diamonds hurts as much as an extra diamond.

Being short of space I leave you to work out the play after West has ducked the jack of clubs. The elegance of the endgame makes it well worth the trouble.

The actual hands were

N 9 J X X X K X X X 10 X X X S A J X X X X K X X Q J X X

but the contract makes against any distribution consistent with bidding and play.

W E The biddings S: Q X X S: K 10 X W N E S H X X H: A Q X X X - - - 1S D: A Q 10 X X D: J 9 X 2D No 2H No C:A X X C: K X 2NT No No No 3NT No