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BRIDGE BITES #127
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CREATING AN ILLUSION
Brian Gunnell |
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♠ QJ2
♥
KJT2
♦
Q43
♣ J63 |
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E-W Vulnerable
South West North
East
1♣
Pass 1♥
Pass
2NT
Pass 3NT Pass
Pass
Pass
In a rubber bridge or
team game, this would be a pretty dull deal, with N-S making 10 or 11
tricks in about 30 seconds flat. But in a duplicate bridge game, where
overtricks are well rewarded, this dull deal suddenly becomes most
interesting! |
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♠ 963
♥
74
♦
KJ865
♣ 984 |
Dummy
West East
Declarer |
♠ T85
♥
A8653
♦
A7
♣ T72 |
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♠ AK74
♥
Q9
♦
T92
♣ AKQ5 |
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3NT was the contract at every
table and all the West players led a Diamond to East’s Ace, after which a
Diamond was returned, South playing the Two on the first trick, followed by the
Nine. The West players knew that, if East had two remaining Diamonds, he would
have returned the higher one at Trick 2. Therefore, Declarer had the missing
Ten, and there was no point in ducking the second Diamond, he had to take his
King while he still could. The defense won the
♥A
later and it was just 10 tricks for Declarer. How could Declarer have made life
more difficult for the defense?
►
At one table Declarer created an
illusion by playing the Diamond Nine and Ten on the first two tricks. Now West
had a chance to go wrong as, in this case, the missing Diamond was the Two. In
West’s mind, unless Declarer was being diabolically devious (which we know to be
the case!), the missing Two was surely with East. So West ducked the second
Diamond and sat back, patiently waiting for East to get in and fire back a
Diamond. He’s still waiting, and it was 11 tricks (and a top board) for N-S.
That was tricky play by Declarer, but the defense should not have been fooled.
Which defender could have done better?
►
In the post mortem West
apologized for not grabbing the
♦K
while he could, but it was East who could have saved the day. From the bidding
he could count Declarer for 18-19 HCP, leaving only 3-4 for West. That being
so, West presumably had the
♦K and no entries, and the
defense could never score the long Diamonds. Before returning a Diamond, East
must cash the ♥A
at Trick 2, making it clear that the defense must take its three tricks and give
up. Declarer makes his contract with an overtrick, but the second overtrick is
prevented.
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