CONTRACT BRIDGE Choosing The Shortest Way To Game

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31936, 13 March 1969, Page 10

CONTRACT BRIDGE Choosing The Shortest Way To Game

(Contributed by J.R W.J

The shortest route is usually the quickest way home, so three no-trumps, requiring the declarer to make only nine tricks, is the most popular game contract. On this deal from a local rubber bridge game, however, South was moved not by the thought of the cheapest contract but by greed for the honours he would score if the hand were played in hearts. Perhaps too he thought he would play it better than his partner: N. S—K 10 6 3 H—loB D—AK4 C—J9B3 W. E. S—Q .1 7 S—A 8 5 2 H—7 2 H—9 43 D—Q 9 7 6 5 D—B 3 C—A K 4 C—7 6 5 2 I S. S—9 4 H—A K Q J 6 5 D—J 10 2 C—Q 10 South was the dealer and the auction proceeded. S. W. N. E. 1H 2D 2NT No 4H All pass. Against four hearts West

led the king of clubs and when the declarer dropped the ten he switched to a diamond in the forlorn hope his partner could ruff. South took the trick with dummy’s ace to draw three rounds of trumps before leading the queen of clubs. West won with the ace and led another diamond. Disinclined to take the slightest risk for he could see his contract safe, the declarer went up with dummy’s king and cashed the now good jack and nine of clubs on which he discarded his remaining diamond and a spade. Six tricks in trumps, two in diamonds and two in clubs added up to four hearts, with “100 honours partner.” It was, of course, a very lucky contract, for when in with the ace of clubs West should realise there is no hope if his partner does not have the ace of spades. By Reading the queen of spades at that point he would win two tricks in the suit for the defence, to put the declarer down one.

And South deserved to go down, for instead of reaching for his honours he should have simply raised his partner to three no-trumps. His suit would take tricks in notrumps just as well as in hearts and six tricks there together with three in diamonds would have seen the contract home. The defence can tajee four tricks in the black suits but this time it is not enough. Too Many Losers

This hand from a local tournament has a similar theme and was badly mauled during the bidding at most tables: N. S—lo 5 4 H—A K 7 5 D—Q J 7 C—KQS W. E. S—B S—97 62 H—Q 8 6 H—lo 9 3 D—A 10983 D—K42 C—lo 9 6 2 C—A J 7 S. S—A K Q J 3 H—J 42 D—6 5 C—B43 W. N. E. S. No INT No 3S No 4S All Pass This was a popular auction, North opening a weak notrump to show a balanced hand of 13 to 15 points. South jumped to three spades and his trusting partner raised to four. The declarer toiled valiantly in a hopeless cause. Usually he came to nine tricks, but sometimes he misplayed it or the defence was better than average and he was two down. No-one. however, made four spades for there were just not enough tricks. At several tables South took a rather different view. The balanced nature of his hand, together with the lack of high cards in the side suits, made it likely that a nine trick contract would be enough. These players simply raised one no-trump to two and found their partners able to accept the invitation and to call the game. Against three no-trumps played by North, East usually led a spade which the declarer captured with the 10 in hand. A low heart was led towards the jack in the hope that East held the queen, but West won the trick. A club was covered by declarer’s

queen and the ace, and the spade continuation won in dummy. Under the ace and king the remaining hearts fell, so the seven became a trick. The contract was thus fulfilled with five tricks in spades, three in hearts and one in clubs. It had again been proved that with hands of balanced distribution nine tricks are easier to make than 10.