THE SECOND SUIT

IN the above deal West’s bid of two clubs was the ‘Landy’ convention, showing length in both major suits. West might have made two hearts, so North-South tried 3NT.

When West led the ♥K, East played the deuce and South had the ♥A-J left, he shifted to a club, South won, lost a diamond finesse to East, won the heart return, and claimed with four club tricks, four diamonds and a heart.

West forgot he had the second suit his bid had shown. He defeats 3NT if he shifts to a spade at the second trick – and to the Queen. If South takes the ♠K and leads a club to his hand and loses the diamond finesse. East can return a spade through South’s Jack, Letting West cash three spades. If instead South let ♠Q win, West continues with a low spade and the result is the same, down one.

‘Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.’

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HAPPY FACE

THERE is a bit of overbidding here. North liked the length and quality of the clubs suit and went ahead with the slam. Nevertheless, it is a good slam.

There are two certain winners in spades and in diamonds. By forcing out ♥A, there are three guaranteed winners there. That comes to seven.

Thus five club winners are required. If you win only four club tricks, the fall back position is the diamond finesse.

Leading low to  ♣K seems routine, but if East has all five clubs, you can’t win five tricks in that suit. Even if West has one club and East has  ♣Jxxx, you are not likely to pick up the Nevertheless, low to  ♣K and then low to  ♣Q caters to West having four clubs.

The play in clubs is surprising. Win the spade and plunk down  ♣Q. The advantage of playing  ♣Q is if East shows out, it will be simple to win five club tricks. If East follows to the first club but shows out on a second club lead to the  ♣K, the finesse is still available. As it happens, clubs behave favorably, West holding all five.

South can win five clubs and simply force out ♥A – Happy Face.

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GOOD PLAY

WE are in the midst of THE 52nd APBF championship in Singapore. The slogan is ‘Peace and Sport', it says ‘be a part of what matters.’ 

Today’s deal arose in the match between Great Britain and Israel in the 1997 Women’s Teams. Israel reached 5♣ without any hitch and there was no problem in the play.

Liz McGowan for Great Britain was in 4♠. McGowan made a good play. She discarded a club on the second heart, ruffed the third heart in dummy and then led a trump to the King, followed by the spade Queen. When ♠10 dropped on the second round of spades, declarer lost just two hearts and one trump

trick.

Had the declarer ruffed the second heart, East would duck the first round of spades, take the second round and lead a third heart, forcing declarer to ruff. Now declarer would run out of trumps before East.

‘You can discover more about a person in one hour of play than in a year of conversation’.

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SHEER LUCK

IN the above deal at the rubber bridge game, South was the declarer in 3NT. North was a modest under bidder and South was the kind of player whose sheer blind luck cancelled out his inept play.

West led ♠K. South spent two minutes counting his winners and another two minutes recounting them. Amazingly, the total came to nine both times, so he began to plan for a glorious overtrick. 

“He’ll go down for sure," thought West, who was watching. As he realised that the clubs are going to be blocked. 

South took the first trick with ♠A and immediately played ♠J. It never occurred to him that West might have led from a six-card suit. West reeled off four spade winners, and South discarded from his hand two hearts and, after pulling out ♥10 and pushing it back again, a club.

“Did I make an overtrick?” asked South. 

“No,” replied North, “But you made your contract.” “With sheer luck,” he added under his breath.

Accidentally, but actually South made an unblocking play.

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A DISASTER

IN the above deal, a disaster that two experts experienced, and you have to decide whose fault it is, or at least the percentage of blame. Let’s see what you think.

West led ♥2. East took ♥A, and on ♥K West playing ♥9, South ♥3 and ♥10. At trick three, West continued a heart and the declarer eventually pitching his blank  ♣K on a spade. Who do you think blew the defense, or was it inevitable?

West blew it. West knows that South has ♥Q from partner’s play of ♥K.  Therefore, West should play ♥J at trick two, denying ♥Q since West would have led ♥Q when holding ♥QJX. East now has an easy club shift.

They say, ‘Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing:

no one to blame’.

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora