Back to Bridge Bites Index

 

 

 

BRIDGE BITES  #46

      

 

"NICE TRY, PARTNER"

                                                                    Brian Gunnell

 

♠ J7532

♥ 3

♦ 9765

♣ J62

 

            E-W Vulnerable

            East      South   West     North

            1NT       2♠         3♠         4♠

            Dbl        Pass    Pass    Pass

 

            Opposite a 15-17 1NT, West had the HCP for game and

            cue-bid 3♠, hoping that East had something in Spades and

            could bid 3NT.  Does North’s 4♠ seem a bit nutty?  Or

            completely so?  It was neither, North expected that 4♠

            doubled would be a good sacrifice against an E-W game.

 

        Dummy

 

West              East

 

       Declarer

♠ AK864

♥ AJ952

♦ 83

♣ 8

 

As we said, North fully expected that 4♠ would go down and South went out of his way not to disappoint her.  The defense cashed a Club and two Diamonds, then led a second round of Clubs, ruffed by Declarer.  Now Declarer drew trumps in two rounds and proceeded with: ♥A, Heart ruff, Diamond ruff, Heart ruff, Diamond ruff, Heart ruff.  If you have worked your way through this orgy of ruffing you will see that Declarer has by now scored 9 tricks and had finally established that long Heart in his hand.  That is the good news.  The bad news is that all the trumps are now gone, the lead is in Dummy, and there is no way back to Declarer’s hand to score that long Heart.  Down one!  Sitting as Dummy, watching the play unfold, you have no doubt noticed where Declarer went wrong.  What do you plan to say, now that the play is over?

►