A Basic Error

Like flamingos, bridge players too migrate to various places for tournaments. This time the destination was Goa, the land of beaches and palm trees. As the fierce winds, furious rain with thunderclouds gathering played background score, the tempers of the players too were in full gusto. Spirits were high as well. 

West led the ♠J, won by the Ace. A club to the Ace won (West playing the ♣9) and ♣8 was continued toward dummy. West showed out, so South ducked in dummy and East took his ♣J. The spade return did not do much to harm declarer. He was able to give East a club trick and in time was able to take three spades, two hearts, one diamond, and three clubs for nine tricks. 

While the play can go in various ways, it is true that the defense did not go well. A basic error was made there. 

East should let South win the second club trick. East will get the third club trick but with only one remaining entry to dummy, South can’t set up and then use dummy’s last trick. With diamonds being sour too, a South rate to go down one if the defense doesn’t err along the way. He will take three spades, two hearts, one diamond, and only two clubs. By giving declarer an early club trick, the defense stops South from getting two club tricks later on.

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

Out of Safe Lead

Mumbai, the city of dreams, has been finally relieved of its hot summers as the rains continue to lash on. But they also bring with them traffic jams and potholes. Yet, this is the season most Mumbaikars eagerly wait for! 

West led the ♣Q and continued with the ♣J. South ruffed the second club and drew one round of trumps before playing a low diamond toward dummy. East won his ♦Q and led his ♣A, which South ruffed. Another low diamond went to West’s ♦J and the game was lost. West was due another diamond and instead of ten tricks, South had only nine. 

After ruffing the second club, South should lead a trump to dummy to ruff dummy’s last club. Another trump is led to dummy and the singleton heart is led to South’s ♥10 and West’s ♥Q. Since West is now out of safe leads, no matter what he does South gets home with a tenth trick. 

Bath coup — getting to use the tub before your roommate!

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

The Best Line

Hey! What do you know? ‘Apro’ Dara is back in Amchi Mumbai, all the way from Washington DC with a juicy deal for us to enjoy. 

West led ♦Q. Declarer faces losing ♥A and a club, since dummy’s second diamond winner can provide only one club discard from hand. The best line seems to be to hope that East holds ♥A. If that is so, the contract can be made in two different ways. 

Declarer leads ª from dummy. If East rises with the ♥A, South can later discard one club loser from hand on ♦A and a second on ♥K. If East plays low on the heart, declarer’s ♥Q wins the trick. Now, South can draw trumps in two rounds finishing in dummy and play ♦A, discarding ♥6 from hand, so avoiding a heart loser altogether. 

If West turns up with ♥A, South still has the chance to finesse West for the ♥J, or to play to ruff out ♥J in three rounds and then use ♥10 and ♦A to discard two clubs from hand. 

Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 

‘Till your good is better and your better is best!

Blog : www.hemadeora.blogspot.in

Twitter ID :@HemaDeora 

A Strange Distribution

South fully expected to make his conservative 2.♠ contract. West led the ♦8, his partner’s bid suit, and defenders started with East taking the first three diamond tricks, West following twice. East continued with the fourth diamond, West ruffing with the ♠J. East then ruffed the heart return! A club lead put dummy in. At this point, South has already lost five tricks. 

South has to decide whether to play to the ♠A or to finesse the ♠9. The answer is easy to find if you look in the right place. East opened with 1♦. And has four of those. If East started with three spades, making it right to play the spades from the top, then he also has six clubs. That would give East a strange distribution for a 1♦ opener. East rates to have four spades, no hearts, four diamonds and five clubs. As you can see, this is the distribution that exists. South must lead a spade and finesse against East’s ♠Q104, barring East’s giving the show away by playing one of his honours. 

‘Love is rare; life is strange, nothing lasts and people change!

Blog : www.hemadeora.blogspot.in

Twitter ID :@HemaDeora 

You need a lot of courage

Mumbaikars have been enjoying the monsoon magic for the last week, and we hope the rainy spell continues. 

Almost a fortnight ago, one of the great legends and fine player, Shri Virendra Shah, left this world peacefully. I would greet him every Wednesday at the weekly bridge tournament at the Willingdon Club. When I would ask him how he was, very cheerfully he would say, ‘very fine and very fit!’ and then break into contagious smile. Often he would give me the deals he played to review. The above deal is one of the last ones. He was very happy to see it in print. 

Sitting East, Virendrabhai listened while his opponents ignored his good hand in their rush to bid 4♣.

West led the ♦8. Virendrabhai played the ♦10 losing to declarer’s ♦K. South played three rounds of spades ending in dummy and called for the ♥2. Virendrabhai saw that West had maximum of 2 points and might have none at all. So he decided to play low. He thought well. It would cost a trick if South had the ♥QJXX, but it would defeat the contract if West would be able to win the heart trick and return a diamond. South played ♥10, West won with the ♥J and returned the ♦4, down one. It took a lot of courage for Virendrabhai to play low smoothly. We miss seeing him in his favourite seat.

Blog : www.hemadeora.blogspot.in

Twitter ID :@HemaDeora