AUCTION BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 228, 26 September 1930, Page 6

AUCTION BRIDGE.

MAKING A CARD OF ENTRY. (By A. E. MANNING FOSTER.) The saving of an entry card in dummy is a •commonplace, and few players of any standing (fail to see its importance. But the making of an entry card in dummy 'by winning with a high card instead of a low card by declarer is a finer point which many miss. You know how often it happens that dummy has a long suit which, although you have established it, you cannot get in to make just because there is 110 card of entry. When there is absolutely no card of entry of course you can do nothing but grin and bear it, but frequently' there is what might be described as a hidden card of entry, if only you are clever enough to see it and avail yourself of it. Here is a case in point: S.—4 H7—J 5 2 D.—K QJIO 75 3 C—B 2 S —Q 9 8 6 I Y S—J 10 7 5 H—K 10 76 4 H—B D—A j A B D—9 8 4 2 C—Q J 7 | C—lo 90 5 I Z S—A K3 2 H.—A Q9 3 D.—6 C.—A K4 3 Score: Game all. Y dealt and bid "One Diamond"; B "No bid"; Z "One No Trump." All passed. I give the bidding as it actually occurred," but do not approve of it. Y had not the necessary two quick tricks for an initial bid of one Diamond, and should have passed on the first round. I admit that a suit of seven Diamonds with four honours is a tempting bid, and many players bid on it. Some bid two or even three on such holdings. But on the system of bidding I recoi..mend Y's hand is an initial pass, with the hope and expectation of bidding his long Diamonds on the second round. Having, however, made the initial mistake of bidding one Diamond, I consider he made a second mistake in not rebidding his Diamonds over Z's No Trumper. Lacking the ace of his suit, and having no likely card of entry, he should have insisted on playing the hand in Diamonds and should have called four Diamonds if Z had called two No Trumps. This is not judging by results, but is fair criticism. But as it was, Z was left to play the game in No Trumps, and he managed to make game. A opened the 6 of Hearts. How should Z play the hand?

Whether Z goes game with eleven tricks or only makes the odd depends upon his play to the very first trick. I am open to bet that eight out of ten players would miss the point. They would be pleased at the Heart suit being led up to them and would take the first trick cheaply ■with the 9 of Hearts, and so ensure making three tricks in the suit. But now, if you study the 'hands, you will «ee that such a course is fatal. If Z yields to the temptation to take the trick cheaply, all be can make is seven tricks, viz., three Hearts, two Spades, and two Clubs. He cannot possibly go game. Dummy's suit of Diamonds is dead. He can never put Dummy in to make it if A plays with ordinary intelligence. Z's only chance of making game is to use the Jack of Hearts as an entry after clearing the Diamonds. He can do this by taking the first trick with the Queen of Hearts He then leads a Diamond. A is in the lead, and must continue Hearts or open another suit. It does not matter which be does; Z must win at once and lead a small Heart, and A can in no way prevent Dummy getting in on this or a subsequent round with Jack of Hearts and making the long Diamond suit, giving Z eleven tricks instead of seven. You may say, "Could not the same result have been attained by Z taking the first trick with the 9, and then, after establishing the Diamonds, leading tlie 3 of Hearts?" Certainly not, unless A played very badly. In this case, if Z in the second round of the suit plays a small Heart A must put up bis King. The suit is now effectively blocked 'by Z's Aee and Queen, wbich A knows that Z holds. It is all very simple when explained, but little points like this are constantly missed, even by regular and experienced players. The point at issue is the making of a card of re-entry by taking with a higher card when a lower card would win tbe trick. .