AUCTION BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 186, 8 August 1930, Page 6

AUCTION BRIDGE.

(By A. E. MANNING FOSTER.)

A REMARKABLE RESULT.

One of the mo.st fortunate hands of which I have a record is the following, which occurred ;n actual play: S. —K Q J 3 2 H.—Q S 6 5 IX—J 10 3 a—4 S.—A 10 S 7 1 Y \ S.—9 65 4 H.—K J3 2 | A £ | H.—A 10 0 D.-A5 I ! D—None C.—A 8 2 | Z | C.—Q JIOO 7 6 S.—None H.—7 4 D.—K Q9S7 64 2 C.—K 5 3

Score, game all. Z dealt and said "No bid '; A "One No Trump"; Y "Two Spades"; B "Three Clubs"; Z "Three Diamonds"; A and Y "No bid"; B "Four Clubs"; Z "Four Diamonds"; A "Double." All pass. As to the bidding, Z was, in my opinion, quite right to keep silent at first. Although, he had eight Diamonds, it was much better not to name them as dealer, but to await developments.

A's No Trump was perfectly sound. Y had a justifiable two-Spade bid, and in the rubber game cannot be blamed for bidding. Although against the No Trumper, if left in, he had the lead, his hand was deficient in cards of entry when he had established the Spado suit. It was, in act, hopeless against No Trumps.

B's bids of Clubs were also justifiable. Z, when his partner had shown some sign of life, was right to bid up to four Diamonds. A's double with three aces looked good. Of course, at double Dummy or by intelligent play Z could have been defeated. But in actual play Z made five by cards against hands holding four aces!

A opened with the Ace of Clubs, and, finding Dummy with only one, led Ace of Spades. Z trumped, led King of Clubs, and then the 5 of Clubs, which he trumped in Dummy. He then led the King and Queen of Spades and discarded his losing Hearts, with the result that A made only the Ace of Diamonds —a truly remarkable achievement.

Now it is easy to be wise after the event, but without judging by results there is no doubt that A's play was very bad indeed.

The opening of the Ace of Clubs, while unfortunate, cannot be blamed, since B had called Clubs twice. But the second lead of the Ace of Spades was indefensible. It was highly improbable that B was short in Spades and could get a ruff—Z had shown a dislike of the Spade bid by calling high in Diamonds. Two courses were open to A— ho could lead Ace and another Diamond, which would have saved a trick but not the game, or lie could lead a Heart, which would have defeated the contract, as A and B then must make two Hearts, a Diamond and a Club.

But A was one of those wooden players \yho had been taught the useful rule that it is bad to lead away from a king. This was because he could not visualise the situation. B had gone to four Clubs. It was probable that he had a trick outside. It could not be in Spades or Diamonds. It was almost certain it was in Hearts.

This hand is interesting as showing the immense advantage the declarer has over the opponents If they are at a]] weak in forming sound deductions from the bidding.