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BRIDGE BITES #123
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FIRST THINGS FIRST
Brian Gunnell |
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♠ 7
♥
T743
♦
AKT9632
♣ 6 |
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E-W Vulnerable
South West North
East
3♦
Pass
3NT
Pass Pass Pass
Some players don’t
approve of preemptive bids when holding a 4-card major, pointing out
that it risks missing (in this case) a 4-4 Heart fit. Others will say
that North’s so-called Heart suit is pitifully weak, and surely that
long, strong minor needs to be bid.
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North
West East
Declarer |
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♠ KJ2
♥
AKQ5
♦
J
♣ KQJT8 |
On the actual deal, North’s 3♦
preempt got N-S to a dubious 3NT when 4♥
was indeed a superior contract. Against 3NT, the opening lead was a Spade to
East’s Ace, then a Spade to Declarer’s Jack and West’s Queen, followed by a
third Spade. On the second and third Spades, Dummy pitched a Club and a Diamond
(a Heart could not be spared as the 4th Heart was a potential entry).
After winning the third Spade
trick, how would you play the Diamond suit? Would you finesse against
the Queen, or would you play for the drop?
►
When the hand was played, our
Declarer knew that with an 8-card fit, the Diamond finesse was the percentage
play, so he successfully ran the Jack. That held, but the bad news was that
Hearts were 4-1, so Dummy had no entry and the good Diamonds were stranded.
Should Declarer have done better?
►
Yes, indeed, Declarer goofed. He
should have cashed two high Hearts first … if that suit split 3-2 then he could
take the Diamond finesse, the most likely way to bring in the suit … but when
Hearts were 4-1, the lack of Dummy entries meant that he must rely on the
singleton or doubleton ♦Q
to make his contract. Here’s the full deal:
►
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♠ 7
♥
T743
♦
AKT9632
♣ 6 |
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♠ QT843
♥
2
♦
Q4
♣ A7432 |
Dummy
West East
Declarer |
♠ A965
♥
J986
♦
875
♣ 95 |
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♠ KJ2
♥
AKQ5
♦
J
♣ KQJT8 |
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Testing the Hearts first, and
then playing the Diamonds accordingly, would have been 10 tricks, just like
those who declared the superior 4♥
contract. Does this deal settle the debate about preempting with a 4-card
major? Not at all, it merely tells us that rotten contracts sometimes make,
especially when played correctly.
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