Remember to Unblock

Yesterday, the Corporate Bridge Association of India had organised the annual bridge event at Taj Lands End. Our dear friend Deepak Parekh is the president of this association. And its secretary, Debasish Ray pulled all stops to make it a grand success.

West leads ♣K and switches to ♠Q, which you duck. West continues with a low spade, presumably from four. East plays the ♠K and you win the trick. You now play a heart to the queen, ruff a club and cash the ♥AK. West discards the ♣A on the third heart. You play another heart and West discards a spade. East a club.

You know that West did not open the bidding or make a take double, yet you have seen ♣AK, ♠Q and only a doubleton heart. It is fair to assume that West also holds the ♠J and started with no more than four spades because there was no overcall. Many players would have made a take out double and it is inconceivable that West, despite his probable 4 card diamond length (4spades, 2 hearts and likely 3 clubs) could have ♦Q and remain silent throughout the auction. East must hold that ♦Q. Play to ♦AK and watch the ♦Q coming down.

Did you remember to unblock the ♦8, then the ♦10, so that you could return to hand with a club ruff and finesse the ♦7 for the overtrick?

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Avoid Those Traps

Last week was full of celebrations, first Independence Day, then Rakshabandhan. And, finally Parsi New Year with the spread of delicious dishes like Patra-ni-Machhi and Salli Murghi. I believe moog dal is mandatory with prawn patio! I'm sure 'Apro' Dara must have devoured the 'Bhonu'!

After West's lead of the ♣2, how should South plan the play?

Temptations abound In the play of today's game. Yield to taking a wrong finesse and the game goes down the drain.

It's too risky to play West for Length in clubs. So South should rise with dummy's Ace to avoid the fatal ruff by West. Next in an effort to draw all the trumps, South should lead a trump to his ♥A and another trump to West's ♥K. East signals with the ♠8 on the second trump and the danger of a club ruff still exists.

West shifts to a spade and South must refuse yet another finesse, otherwise West will get his club ruff. Dummy's ♠A wins. South now draws the last trump, and it's finally time to concede a spade and a club ensuring ten tricks.

Have you heard of Parsi films that never made it to big screens?

1-Where Eagles Darius, 2-Bend it like Baman, 3- When Homi met Salli.

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

End-Play Magic Dealer

 

My special pastime is to dabble with paints with special children, make greeting cards with different themes for occasions and make it a special day for them.

This time it was Independence Day. We all made flags — 60 of them! What fun! Just when we finished with our class, it started to pour, feeling concerned I asked the kids, “What do we do now?” In their special way, all in chorus, they said, “Get us the blue umbrella!”

In above deal South won his ♦A, drew trumps in two rounds and played the ♦K. East discarded to end declarer’s hopes in that suit.

Now South cashed ♠A and ruffed a spade. Reentered his hand in trumps, ruffed his last spade. He wisely cashed his ♣A, closed the eyes and led a club. East happily won the king but soon realized, he was endplayed, and was forced to lead a card from a black suit giving South a ruff and discard and his well-earned slam!

Other might have forgotten, But never can I.

The flag of my country, Furls very high!

Happy Independence Day

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

 

The Disappearing Trick

After a long time, my friend from the 21st floor sent me this interesting hand. Just the right thing on a rainy day.

West’s pass of two spades must be regarded as much too conservative. He should have bid three diamonds instead. This might have elicited a further bid from East and led to a contract of five hearts which goes down only one.

As the bidding went, though, South was allowed to play in four spades and made the contract by careful play. West started with A-K of diamonds, declarer ruffing the King. South’s problem was to avoid losing three club tricks. Had he relied solely on East’s having the ace, he would have finished down one. But instead he placed his hopes on an end play that was practically sure to succeed.

After leading a trump to the ace and ruffing the last diamond, South again crossed to dummy with a trump and played a heart, finessing the ten after East followed low. This unusual play rendered the defense helpless.

West won with the Queen, but could score only one more trick for his side. Whether he returned a heart, a diamond or a club. Whatever he did, South was bound to wind up with ten tricks.

Give light, and the darkness will disappear by itself.

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THE END PLAY

Above deal was presented to me by Virenbhai Shah, a legend rubber bridge player at the Wilmington club. It was played by his friend, Bindiya.

Bindiya boldly bid 3♥ with three card support of her partners 1♥(four card bid) ♣Q led by West is surely absurd after West’s partner supports the spade suit, in spite of having four trumps! Any way South won the lead with the ♣A. cashed the ♠A and ♠K and ruffed the spade. South now played the ♥K, ducked by West but took the ♥Q and played back ♣9 which was taken with the ♣K by East. I wonder why he didn’t give his partner the ruff! Now East plays ♦4, South plays low and West the ♦K which was ducked by North, West continued the diamond which was capture by ♦A and North returned a diamond which was taken by East’s ♦Q.

At the end Bindiya was left with ♦5 and ♣J and ♣5. When South played the ♣J West was end played. If he ruffed with the ♥8 South will over ruff with ♥9 and remove the last trump with the ♥J and dummy is good. If West discards the spade South will discard the diamond from dummy and play the master diamond from the hand, the situation would be the same. Eventually East is caught in squeeze end play!

Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

Avoid Any Damage

I’m deeply saddened by the demise of our dearest colleague Vinaben Khandwala. One is never prepared for a loss; it comes like a swift wind. Vinaben was the doyen and pioneer of bridge. Her presence in the bridge room was like a prominent bookmark. We will truly miss her voice and her zest for life. We will always remember her in our prayers. May she rest in peace.

West led her ♦A and continued with the ♦Q to blot South’s jack. Dummy covered and East ruffed with the ♥5. Back came the ♠J to dummy’s king.

It was time for declarer to play trumps. She led the ♥8 to her Jack and West’s king, a losing finesse that carried a high price tag. West returned the ♦2 to force East to ruff, and East’s ♥10 proved the clincher. South was forced to overuff and West’s ♥9 was promoted to the setting trick.

It was true the defense was accurate. But it was also true that South blew her chance. When she led the trump from dummy, she should have refused to finesse and played her ♥A instead. The ♥Q would then have gone to West's king, but East’s pesky ♥10 could no longer do any damage.

The song is ended but the melody lingers on...

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora

Judge your priorities

The Bombay Gymkhana is, for the first time, holding a Bridge IPL Tournament over this weekend. For almost the whole of last month, the bridge room at Bombay Gymkhana has been packed with all teams practicing the game. I’m proud to say that Dr Dhananjay Subaro is behind the event. He has worked tirelessly to promote this mind sport in Bombay Gym which was, at one time known as a taboo! Kudos to Dr Subarao!

West led ♠5 to east’s jack and South won the ♠A. South cashed dummy’s two top diamonds. He could come back to his hand and set some diamond tricks, but there were only eight winners.

Clubs was a possible source of tricks. You can play ♣A, another club and get to dummy twice with diamonds to set up clubs. Unfortunately, you do not have time to set up clubs if you have to lose two tricks to do so. However, if you are lucky enough to find a singleton club honour or ♣KQ doubleton, you are home free.

South should now play the ♣A and see if something good happens. If not, he can try the diamonds. This line risks going down three instead of one, but it increases your chances of taking nine tricks.

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

Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora