Thinking comes first in South Island teams

Press, 2 August 1983, Page 12

Thinking comes first in South Island teams

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignall

While other districts have problems attracting sufficient entries to their tournaments, Otago-Southland still seem able to pack them in, particularly in team events. It was no surprise when the Otago Bridge Club acted as host to 22 teams for the South Island Teams of Four recently. As always, the organisation and hospitality were first-class, even going so far as to ensure that no Dunedin team finished in the prize money. Third place was won by Mr and Mrs A. Cockerill and Mr and Mrs R. Bishop of Gore, on 108 points. The runners-up were New

Zealand women’s trialists, Mrs D. Randle and Mrs V. Russell, with Mrs H. Good and Mrs S. Ford, all from Alexandra on 113, a fine achievement in a field of good quality. The winners were all part of the Canterbury team practising for the forthcoming A.N.Z. Bank Interprovincial Teams, R. D. Scott and M. Sykes, with J. R. Wignail and K. G. Wooles on 157. Two deals from the championship illustrated the importance of thinking before playing to the first trick. On this hand, one declarer did, but another failed. South was the dealer, with neither side vulnerable:

One auction was: S. W. N. E. 10 No 20 No 30 No 40 No 40 No 50 No 5V No 50 All Pass While none of the calls chosen can be severely criticised, the final contract was uncomfortably high. North’s four clubs and five clubs asked for aces and kings, the replies showing two and one respectively. In fact, as expert analysts will see, a small slam would be an excellent contract if West held the kings of clubs. Against five spades, however, West found the best lead of a club and the declarer, without giving the matter sufficient thought, tried dummy’s jack. After' winning with his king, East switched to a diamond and the hand was all over.

When South played low, West won with the king and cashed the ace of hearts to defeat the contract by one trick.

Scott and Sykes also reached five spades, and

again West led a club. But Scott put up the ace, dre\v trumps in two rounds and led a heart. West won the ace to continue with a club to her partner’s king and East correctly switched to a diamond. Now, however, it was too late. The declarer won with his ace, crossed to dummy with a spade and discarded his two losing diamonds on the king and queen of hearts. It was all too easy if one thought of it. The second deal posed problems for both the declarer and the defence. South was the dealer, with only his side vulnerable:

How should the play go if South reaches the slightly optimistic, but not unreasonable, contract of four spades? West’s best lead is the singleton club, and if the declarer plays low from dummy he is quickly defeated. East returns a club for his partner to ruff, regains the lead with the ace of spades and a second club ruff produces four tricks for the defence.

South, therefore, should win the first trick with the ace of clubs and attack spades, East immediately takes his ace, and cashes the king of clubs, then continues with a third round for his partner to ruff. That, however, is the last trick for the defence. When West leads the king of hearts, the declarer wins, draws the last two trumps with the king of spades and can now ruff two diamonds in dummy and discard his small heart on the long club. So the contract appears to be unbeatable, but the defence has an answer. When South wins the first trick with the ace of clubs, and leads a spade, East takes his ace and leads not the king of clubs but the 10, retaining control of the suit. West ruffs, and switches to the king of hearts. South wins, draws trumps and has to lead clubs. East’s king scores and he returns a heart to the queen to defeat the contract. Nevertheless, the declarer has made life as hard as he could for the defence, and few opponents at the table would find the correct sequence of plays.