In Order to Succeed

Today is the finale of the Willingdon Sports club bridge tournament which has been on for the last three days. Deepak Podar has worked very hard to make this event a great success. Kudos to Deepak! 

West led ♦J. South has a loser in each suit, plus a second in diamonds. He could ruff one diamond in dummy and then take the trump finesse, but this fails. Two ruffs in dummy is unsuccessful since an over-ruff is inevitable. 

To succeed, South must reject any idea of trumping a diamond in dummy yet, preserving all three trumps there. At trick one, South should win and lead ♠6 from hand, playing low from dummy also. 

Whatever West leads next, South can win, cash two top hearts and play ♠K and ♠A. If and when West ruffs, it is with his natural trump winner, and there is now a trump left in dummy. This allows South to ruff a diamond and cash spade winner, pitching his little diamond from hand. 

Above deal is courtesy ‘Apro’ Dara. A friend in need is a friend indeed! 

A happy partnership is a matter of give and take. You give in and your partner takes credit.

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An Extra Chance

Three days later India shall witness Republic Day celebrations held in New Delhi. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will be the chief guest for this day celebrations. 

West leads the ♥A, followed by the ♥K and a third heart which South ruffs. To make the contract, after drawing trumps, South should not take the club finesse yet. South should give himself and extra chance by testing the diamonds first. If the ♦Q falls singleton or doubleton, South is home. After ♦A, and ♦K, South should play a third diamond. If East began with ♦QXX, East would win but would be endplayed. A club return solves the club problem and a heart return gives South a ruff in hand and a club discard from dummy. 

Freedom in mind Faith in words, Pride in our heart Memories in our Souls, Let’s Salute the Nation on REPUBLIC DAY.

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

The setting trick

Every Maharashtrian must have enjoyed the festival of Makar Sankranti by presenting each other with ‘til gul’. Thanks to PETA, that NGT has banned the sale and the use of sharp and lethal kite-flying string, called the ‘manja’ that poses a danger to humans, animals and birds.

West led the ♥2 covered by the ♥Q, ♥K and ♥A. Next came four rounds of trump, West discarding two diamonds and a heart, followed by the ♦K to West’s ♦A. West continued with the ♥J and another heart forcing South to ruff with the last trump. South then cashed two diamonds ending in the closed hand. East smartly discarded ♣2. East knew that South was out of trump. If South has the ♣K, there is no defense so East played for that card. When East got in with the ♣Q, East could take the setting trick in hearts.

‘Setting goals for your game is an art. The trick is in setting it at the right time’.

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

Never Give Up

West led the Heart King and declarer had to choose line of play.  West’s two-suited cue bid marked with at least ten cards in hearts and (probably) clubs combined.  After winning the Heart Ace, declarer started with a spade to the King and decided to believe that West’s Spade 10 was a singleton.  Since it was against the odds that the Diamond Jack would drop, he decided to cater to less favourable diamond layouts.  He abandoned trumps and started diamonds, to ruff out East’s long Jack.  He was horrified to see West’s Diamond Jack appear on the second round because now he could no longer cash his five diamond winners.

He threw a heart and a club on the nest two diamonds, then ruffed a heart, crossed to a second trump, and ruffed another heart.  He was down to one high trump in each hand while East held the Spade 98, apparently due to take a trump trick.  Declarer played the Club Ace and Club Queen, which West won as East had to follow.  West had to play a club or a heart, and so declarer had to score his trumps separately at tricks twelve and thirteen.  He had made his slam despite scoring only four of his five diamond winners.

Even if you suffer an early setback, never give up.

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

Fifty Years Ago

Today is the beginning of the New Year! Certainly, there is a nip in the air. My friend on the 21st floor must be feeling the chill much more.

“Preempts at favorable vulnerability are different today than they were 50 years ago,” confided my friend. I nodded, “Yes, things do change in 50 years.” He then showed me today’s hand from a 50-yearold rubber bridge game. The paper was crusty brown and the ink was fading.

“Who opened 3♥?” I asked. “South,” he said, “after all they didn’t play weak two-bids in those days.”

South allowed the Queen to win the first trick so the spade king is protected, and later South could ruff out the Ace of Diamonds, discard a spade on a diamond honor.

“East scolded his partner for making this lead,” said my friend. “If he led a club, declarer would eventually lose four tricks.” “But,” said my friend. “After a club lead, declarer can still make. He wins the Ace of Clubs, comes to his hand with a trump and leads a  diamond. When West plays the ten, he ducks that!”

“They don’t play the hands as well, today,” I said, “As they did 50 years ago.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora