Hand of the day #393
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This conundrum was written by Barbara Seagram and David Bird and was originally published in Declarer Play at Bridge, A Quizbook - you can find out all about the book further down the page.
Opening Lead: ♦Q
You open 1♥ on your 19 HCP, intending to carry the bidding to game (at least) if partner responds. When partner raises hearts to the two-level, you bid game in that suit.
How do you rate your chances when West leads the ♦Q? You may intend to win the first trick with dummy’s ♦A, but it is good discipline to make a plan before you play the first card from dummy. You are in a suit contract, so the first step is to count the losers in each suit. You have two possible losers in spades and none in hearts. You have three diamonds in your hand and only one of these is covered by dummy’s ace. That leaves you with two diamond losers. In clubs you have no losers because your third club is covered by dummy’s ♣Q.
This is the loser position:
Losers: ♠2 ♥0 ♦2 ♣0 Total: 4
How can you reduce this total to three losers? One possible chance is to lead towards the ♠K, hoping that East holds the ♠A. If nothing better was available, you might have to do that. You would be relying on good luck, however, and no one likes to do that (particularly unlucky players!).
Can you see how to make the contract without relying on luck at all?
West leads the ♦Q against your heart game and this is the loser position:
Losers: ♠2 ♥0 ♦2 ♣0 Total: 4
To avoid one of your spade losers, you could lead towards the ♠K, hoping that East held the ♠A. That would rely on good luck. Suppose you win the first trick with the ♦A, draw trumps and lead towards the ♠K. West will win with the ♠A and the defenders will score two diamond tricks and one more spade — one down.
A better idea is to discard a diamond loser. In the deals we have seen so far, dummy held a surplus winner in one of the side suits and this allowed you to discard a loser from your hand. Here the situation is different. You have a surplus club winner in your hand and can discard a diamond loser from dummy. It will work just as well! After discarding one of dummy’s diamonds, you will have one diamond in dummy and two in your hand; you will be able to ruff your third diamond in the dummy, losing only one diamond trick. How does the play go?
You win the first trick with ♦A and draw trumps in three rounds. You then play the ♣Q (short side first), followed by the ♣A and ♣K. On the third round of clubs you throw one of dummy’s two remaining diamonds. Next you lead a low diamond, giving the defenders a diamond trick. East wins and switches to the ♠Q. The defenders score two spades but when you regain the lead you will ruff your last diamond in the dummy and make the game.
PLAN: I will win with the ♦A and draw trumps. I will then play three club winners, throwing a diamond from dummy.
I will then ruff my last diamond in dummy
POINT TO REMEMBER
Sometimes you can use a surplus winner in your hand to throw a loser from the dummy. This may allow you to ruff one of your losers in the dummy.
This book gives near-beginners a chance to practice the principles on which sound declarer play is based: count your winners, count your losers, make a plan. This is not just a series of problem hands, however. Each section contains a brief introduction of its topic, and the ideas are reinforced with carefully explained solutions and helpful tips throughout. Bridge teachers and students will find this book invaluable.
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