A Basic Error

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.  There, a basic error was made.

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 with 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.

Making mistakes is better than faking perfection.

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

A Ruff-Stuff

My friend who lives on the 21st floor invited me on the last day of Lord Ganpati Visarjan Day. He said I could go to his sprawling balcony and get a spectacular view of the Ganpati immersion. He added that I wouldn’t be able to see the sea as more than 10 lakhs of people will form a sea of humanity, but I could get glimpses of Ganeshas in all shapes and sizes. So, I trotted along for the view. 

Given a likely two losers in clubs, your bet is to force the opponents to break hearts. So you should win the ♣A, play the ♦A and ruff a diamond, back to a spade, ruff a diamond and back to a spade. If spades have divided 2-2, exit a club to the ♣Q losing two clubs to East. But after East has had his fun, he must break hearts or give you a ruff-sluff. You can lose no more than one heart trick. 

“It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness!”

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

Minimum Strength

Just two days ago, Ganesh Chathurthi, the birthday of Lord Ganesha was celebrated all over in Maharashtra. On this day, beautiful hand crafted idols of the Lord were installed, both in homes and in public. 

West led the ♣Q, South won with the ♣A and led a trump to dummy’s ♠J. East took the ♠A and returned a club to South’s ♠K. South now cashed with ♠K. When West showed out, South ducked a heart hoping hearts would break 3-3, giving South a discard for the ♦J. South actually lost two trumps, a diamond and a heart. 

Once East showed the ♠A, West had at most 11 high- card points. To double, vulnerable, with such minimum strength, West surly had a singleton spade. South should have led a heart to dummy at the fourth trick and return a trump to his ♠9. 

Bridge players on the Titanic, When the iceberg hit wouldn’t panic, 

“Of course we’ll go down’, Said South, with a frown, 

Every King is offside — it’s Satanic! 

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

STILL IN COMFORT

North might have changed suit as an initial response, but to raise a major suit with three card support and an outside shortage is sound. West led ♦4 and all seemed well for South; 10 tricks seemed easy. 

The first good play was East’s; he won with ♦A and returned a diamond. With four trumps in defence, you should always seek to make the declarer ruff in hand to shorten his supply. South did trump, cashed two top hearts before discovering the bad break, and took the losing spade with finesse. West continued his partner’s forcing defence by laying down ♦Q. South was now in trouble. When ruffed, he was left with only one trump in each hand, while East held two trumps and ♣A. Defeat was, now, inevitable. 

Declarer can turn the tables on the defence at trick two. Instead of ruffing, he should pitch a spade from hand. West takes his ♦Q but, now, declarer can draw all the trumps, discard two further spades from hand on dummy’s ♦J 10 and then push out ♣A, still in comfort holding the final trump. 

If you look for the truth, you may find comfort in the end. If you look for comfort, you will not get either comfort or truth.

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

The Moment of Truth

 

There comes a time in many a hand when you arrive at the “moment of truth”.
 

West leads the ♦2, East plays the ♦Q and South tops that that with the ♦K. At trick two and three, South plunks down the ♣A and ♣K. Both follow to the first round, but East discards the ♥Q on the second.

With a certain trump loser, where do you go from here? Assume the ♠K is with West. Your plan is to strip West of all of her major-suit cards before exiting a trump, forcing a diamond lead away from West’s presumed ♦J.

So you start with the ♠Q, which is covered and taken by dummy’s Ace. Continue with the J♠ and a spade ruff, followed by the ♥K,♥A and a heart ruff. You have now arrived at the moment of truth. Exit with the trump and duck a diamond return to your ♦10.

The slam is made! At the moment of truth, there are either reasons or results. 

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora