Sometimes one needs luck, but more often skill

Press, 3 June 1981, Page 14

Sometimes one needs luck, but more often skill

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignall

When everything looks cut and dried is exactly the time to wonder what can possibly go wrong. The declarer on this deal surveyed his prospects with a jaundiced eye, justifiably as it transpired. North was the dealer with neither side vulnerable:

Looking at the North-South cards alone, the best theoretical contract is seven clubs for the declarer can normally expect to draw the adverse trumps with the ace king and queen, and cash five heart tricks, discarding a diamond' from North. The ace and king of spades and ace of diamonds bring the total to 11. and there is still a small club in South to ruff a spade and one in North to trump a diamond for 13 in all. As the cards lie, however, East must always make a

trump trick so the grand slam is doomed. In actual play, South arrived at the .conservative contract- : of six . hearts, against which West led his singleton club.. Winning with dummy’s ; ace, the declarer drew the outstanding trumps with the ace king and queen, then made the king and ace of spades, and ruffed a spade in hand. The position was: .

♦ Q9B Though it looked natural to try to cash his club tricks, the declarer realised that since he had tp lose a diamond trick whatever.he did. it would cost nothing to play off the ace and another diamond. By doing so he ensured the success of his contract. '• If West were to win with the' queen of diamonds, he would have to continue with either a spade or a diamond,

allowing the declarer to dis-' card a club from the, North hand while ruffing in ,his own. Now the king and ace of clubs would be made and South's last club, ruffed in dummy.--' So West..played- lbw on thg diamond. ' wi n with' the king.. He top was end-pldyed.' Unable-.to’: lead a diamond which would; again alloty-a niff arid ‘dis’ : card, he continued. with the. jack of clubs, ‘This Was.-' however, no . better, for, North’s king' won, and a low club'io South’s nifte.: cleared < the suit. • A litl’e; ; th6Ught. had revealed a perfect- safety play to the .declarer add one-' which, moreover, cost.absolutely'nothing. ’ ■; On the ■ other ‘ hand; ’ .one. sometimes just; has, to;„do ’ what one can'and; hope for, the best. Aggressive bidding' in hearts by West • pushed South into four spades oh this.

"■ ~r.l -y-' \ z -7 Against four. spades, West -’• led - the ace and.’ ' another :- heart. After winning ..with j 'dummy’s king, the declarer ; led the mine of spades to the »: five, two and King. West-, continued with another hedrt,\ ■foitcipg South, to ' 1 North-1 hand . was ientered’with a club to the ' Jack; and the three of spades*; was. led to the six^-10 and ; eight. The ace of spades revealed that East’s queen was now high, but undeterred the declarer cashed, the ace king and queen of’fclubs. . That was eight tricks fot the declarer, and..two to the ; defence, so everyone held 3. only three, cards. Hoping for • the best. South led his jack ol ’X . spades, putting East on lead.. with the queen.-Smoothly, the};. ,latter, led a,low diamond, buf f’ the declarer ptit on the queer and when this held cashcc.;.; the, ace for .the ga'me-goinj.' $■ trick! .... -v ° 4. Though, in -?,a sense, thei . cards-'Jjad lain favourably X South still had to play ueL ' to. mikt his optimistic con-U