Being Careful and Lucky
Posted: 12 Jun 2023, 04:27
This is from the recent two-day Swiss Pairs Congress at the Nambucca Valley Bridge Club. I played with Pauly Griffin.
Match 5, board 1, nobody vulnerable. Due to a bidding misunderstanding with our unusual methods I am declaring 3NT with these cards:
Dummy
♠ AJ8
♥ KQ108
♦ K973
♣ KQ
You
♠ 97
♥ A7653
♦ A65
♣ 987
The ♦2 is led. How would you play?
It's important to note that the heart suit will block unless the J drops on the first two rounds. So you need to retain an entry to hand and win the diamond in dummy. Don't duck because a spade switch might be awkward.
I was pleased to see that RHO showed out at trick 2 when the ♥K was cashed. Crossing to the ♥A, taking the finesse, cashing dummy's last heart and giving up a club brought home 9 tricks while most declarers in 4♥ went down on the bad break.
Match 5, board 1, nobody vulnerable. Due to a bidding misunderstanding with our unusual methods I am declaring 3NT with these cards:
Dummy
♠ AJ8
♥ KQ108
♦ K973
♣ KQ
You
♠ 97
♥ A7653
♦ A65
♣ 987
The ♦2 is led. How would you play?
It's important to note that the heart suit will block unless the J drops on the first two rounds. So you need to retain an entry to hand and win the diamond in dummy. Don't duck because a spade switch might be awkward.
I was pleased to see that RHO showed out at trick 2 when the ♥K was cashed. Crossing to the ♥A, taking the finesse, cashing dummy's last heart and giving up a club brought home 9 tricks while most declarers in 4♥ went down on the bad break.