Lead directing double

Today Bombay Gymkhana is the venue for the 12th Family Bridge Tournament sponsored by Dina Daver, beloved wife of her late husband Minoo Daver, in his fond memory. We shall watch today immediate family and extended family members crossing the ‘Bridge’! 

West led ♦4 and South had an easy time making the contract. Dummy’s ♦J was covered by the ♦Q and taken with South’s ♦K. Two rounds of spades, ending in dummy, extracted the outstanding trumps. Declarer then led a club and in a curious twist of events, didn’t really care whether he guessed clubs in winning or failing fashion because it didn’t affect the success of the contract. 

West won the club and shifted to heart but it was too late. Declarer inserted the ♥9. East was able to win the ♥10 but was unable to continue the suit. In time, South lost another club trick but was able to discard his losing heart on dummy’s ♣J. Totally undesired lead! 

Noticing several dark, ugly bruises on man’s shines, doctor asked him if he played hockey, soccer or any another physical sports. 

‘No’ answered the man, “I play bridge with my wife.” 

Blog          : http://www.hemadeora.blogspot.in

Twitter ID    : @HemaDeora

The Principle

‘Apro Dara’ this time has given us a real juicy defense oriented deal.

Today onward, for three days the Willingdon Club is holding its 2nd annual Bridge Tournament. Kudos to the tournament committee and a special one to Deepak Poddar!

West led ♠8 — his partners called suit — West put in ♠10 and South ducked. East cashed ♠AK and led  ♠J, South finally winning. West discarded a couple of low diamonds.

The principle is this: When your partner has tricks to take, work to provide as many entries for him as possible. Here, East has no entry and, by looking at the dummy, West knows it. But, could East possibly hold ♣J? If so, West’s lazy discard of two low diamonds may have cost his side a vulnerable game contract!

Instead of throwing away diamonds on East’s third and fourth round of spades, West should discard the ♣K and ♣Q! Now, when the declarer plays on clubs, nothing can stop East winning with his ♣J and cashing two further spade winners. Down one!

Happy Republic Day To You!

Blog          : http://www.hemadeora.blogspot.in

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

Ruff And Discard

Just two days ago was Makar Sankranti, the kite flying festival, celebrated in India with immense joy, but when will the true awareness dawn upon the people about the harm inflicted to those innocent, feathery friends? They get entangled into that sharp ‘manja’ and get crippled, falling down and trying desperately to hide under or behind some object before becoming a meal for the stray dogs and cats. ‘Joy for human beings but a deep sorrow for the free birds.’

West wins the first trick and continues with ♦Q; East overtakes and switches to the ♥6. Can East have the ♥K? If East had the ♥K, he would let the partner win trick two, so that West could switch to hearts through dummy’s ♥A. Since West has ♥K, South has four losers: one heart, two diamonds and one club.

However, there is a chance: that West has at most two clubs. South should play his low heart and win the trick three with Dummy’s ♥A. Draw trumps, cash the two top clubs, then exit in heart. With luck, West will have to return a red-suit card, allowing South to ruff in the dummy and discard his club loser from hand.

“What is joy?

It is a bird

That we all want to catch.

It is the same bird

That we all love to see flying”

Blog          : http://www.hemadeora.blogspot.in

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

Justified Pessimism

Bare branches of each tree

On this chilly January morn we see,

Like magic, unlock springs for sap to flow

Buds, new leaves, then bloom and will

grow.

South was clearly very sure of not to bid on to 4♥, a respectable spot.

West led the ♠5, ♠9 from dummy and East won with the ♠J. East switched to the ♦7. South should not let the thought of missing a possible 4♥ divert him from the task at hand, to make 3♥. The easy solution is to play low from hand on East’s switch.

Whether West plays low or the ♦10 South can draw trumps and South has 9 tricks.

If South plays the ♦Q on the ♦7 and West ducks, South will be now in considerable jeopardy in 3♥. As the cards lie, 4♥ will almost certainly fail. The cards have justified South’s pessimism.

Good men must die, but death cannot kill their names.

Blog          : http://www.hemadeora.blogspot.in

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

An endplay

Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word. Wishing my readers A Happy New Year and a lot of happy bridging.

Above deal is courtesy ‘Apro’ Dara, who always provides us with these interesting deals on the spot!! West led ♦AK and another, on which declarer pitched a low club. The best solution is often to spurn one guess and, in doing so, force your opponents into solving the second guess for you. Here, the declarer should refuse to take trump finesse but, instead, cash the ♥A and ♥K, ♥Q might drop and, if it doesn't as here, you are still in strong position. South cashes ♠AKQ and now exits with a trump.

Whoever wins ♥Q — here, West is endplayed. If he leads a club, you no longer have a guess to make; if he leads anything else, South can ruff in dummy and discard a second club from hand. Completely obviating any need to risk a melancholic and intoxicated guess.

Let Us Welcome The New Year, Give The Happy Adieu To The Old, Start The New Beginning Without Fear, And Cherish The Memories We Hold!

Blog          : http://www.hemadeora.blogspot.in

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora