Not Always Obvious

Today is the yearly held Ashok Kapur Memorial Bridge Tournament at Jade Ballroom, Nehru Center. Ashok’s loving wife Madhu has sponsored this one-day invitation event in the loving memory of her beloved husband Ashok. 

Some hands offer clearly correct lines of play. Others come with lots to think about but no certainties. This hand falls into the latter category. 

After South wins the  ♠A and draws trumps, South takes the diamond finesse. East wins the ♦K and returns a spade for West to cash out the spade suit. East’s ♣A will be the setting trick latter. 

If South chooses to duck the first spade lead, however, and win the second, East won’t have a spade to return and since West can not get in, South will have time to discard a spade loser on the diamonds. 

While it is not always obvious to do so, holding up on the opening lead can be just as effective in a suit contract as in a no-trump contract. If East is ruffing the second spade, South may go down in a cold contract.  At least South will have readers sympathetic ear, if not his partner’s! 

‘Don’t deny what’s obvious to see’

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

A Free Finesse

Today is the 5th Mohan Advani Memorial Bridge tournament at Bombay Gymkhana under Dr Subbarao’s kind and efficient supervision. We fondly remember Mohan and his quiet and gentle ways towards his bridge partner as well as his opponents. His charming wife Guddi and dapper son, Amit, always sponsor this tournament generously and make sure Mohan ‘amar rahe’. 

In the above deal South took his ♥A and cashed one of dummy’s trumps and ♦A. Then he led a trump to his hand and took a ruffing finesse in diamonds by leading the ♦Q. When West didn’t cover, South discarded dummy’s remaining heart. East won his ♦K and returned a heart, ruffed by dummy. Success now rested with finding the ♣Q. 

Had South held three small diamonds instead of ♦QJ10, he would not have been tempted by the ruffing finesse. To succeed, South must win the ♥A, cash dummy’s ♦A, and ruff his two remaining diamonds, using the trump suit for entries. After the elimination in trump and diamonds, South exits with a heart and the defense is stuck. Regardless of who wins the trick, South enjoys either a ruff and sluff or a free finesse! South can claim his 12 winners. 

Goodbyes are only for those Who love with their eyes, Because for those who love With heart and soul there is no such thing as separation

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

The Right Guess

And finally, in Mumbai there’s nip in the air! But this ‘Senorita’ did care to play her hand well. 

After a swift and simple auction, Senorita sitting in South had to make the right guess when the East led the ♦3. The problem was really not diamonds. It was spades. 

She wanted to decrease the chance of East winning the lead and shifting to a spade through her King. Obviously, if East has the ♦A South cannot keep him off lead, but if he has the ♦Q, South can. For that reason South went up with the ♦K. If the ♦K had lost to the Ace the Senorita would have had to sweat out the spade position. So the Senorita did make the right guess. 

We spend our lives guessing what’s going on inside everybody else, and when we happen to get lucky and guess right, we think we ‘understand’. Such nonsense!

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

The Right Line

Tomorrow onwards Diwali, the festival of lights, will be celebrated across India with joy and happiness. Fireworks, sweets and family gatherings are important parts of this festival. 

West led the ♣2, it’s unlikely to be from a three-card holding. 

The right line that will succeed is when the three card diamond holding lies with West. After drawing trumps, South should cash the ♦A and ♦K, discarding the ♠A. And then, South could ruff the diamonds good, cash ♣K (just in case West has a second club), and lead his remaining spade towards the ♠Q. The club losers in the South hand can then be thrown on the long diamonds. 

When nothing is going right, go left. 

Wishing my readers ‘A Very Happy and Safe Diwali’.

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora