Choice of end-plays in Canterbury pairs

Press, 11 April 1984, Page 12

Choice of end-plays in Canterbury pairs

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignail

This year’s Canterbury Provincial Pairs championship, very well run by Crockford’s Club, attracted an entry of 36 partnerships, satisfactory by present standards but well down on what would have been normal a few years ago. With 18 tables in play, the format was two boards per

table, a total of 36 boards in each of three sessions. While this has certain advantages, sessions lasting four and a half hours put a strain on the stamina and patience of the players and on the ventilating system of the clubhouse. The winning pair was the professorial partnership of

R. P. Kerr and F. P. S. Lu, 1 who in a short time have struck up a very successful pairing. i They started solidly, ran ! up a big score in the second session and could afford a ■ few lapses in the final round but still won in comfort. The runners-up were Mrs C. Macßride and Mrs B. W 7 . Crofts, who did well to beat a number of more fancied partnerships. In third place were Mrs , J. Thomas and J. D. Thomson, always consistent tournament performers. It is said the cards were lively and unpredictable for most of the weekend, which may, or may not, account for the comparative failure of several established and promising pairs. R. D. Scott and M. Sykes had, for them, an unhappy tournament to finish fifth, but the former was responsible for one of the bestplayed hands for some time. South was the dealer with both sides vulnerable:

By far the best contract on the North-South cards is three no-trumps. Suppose South plays it and receives the best lead of the nine of clubs? He simply allows the defenders to win the first two tricks in clubs, takes the third, crosses to dummy’s king of diamonds and leads a small heart, covering whatever card East plays. West is welcome to win, but with no clubs in his hand cannot hurt the declarer. He probably exits with a diamond, taken by dummy’s ace. The ace and king of hearts clear the suit, leaving two established cards in South’s hand. Four tricks in hearts, two in spades, the two top diamonds plus the ace of clubs give the declarer nine in all and his contract. Accidents, however, happen in the best of circles and Scott had to toil in a

final contract of four hearts. It looks as though he should lose two tricks in clubs, one in diamonds and one in hearts, but he quickly proved that appearances can be deceptive. West led the nine of clubs, which South allowed to win, but he took the continuation with the ace. Next he cashed the king and ace of spades, then ruffed a spade in-hand. The ace and king of , hearts were made, after which he crossed to the king of diamonds, leaving this position with the lead on the table:

When the declarer led dummy’s nine of spades, ruffing with the seven of hearts, West won the second trick for the defence by over-ruffing with the queen. He played a diamond but Scott was well in control. Winning with dummy’s ace he returned the suit, putting West back on lead. With only diamonds left the latter had to play one allowing the declarer to ruff on the table as he discarded the losing club from his own hand. By confining his losers to one in clubs, one in trumps and one in diamonds Scott had brought home his rather shaky contract. In the diagram position, when South ruffs the nine of spades in hand, West does far better to refuse to overtrump. The declarer, however, still has an answer. He cashes the ace of diamonds before leading dummy’s last club. Again a defender, this time East, is end-played. With only clubs remaining he must lead the suit, allowing South to discard a diamond from hand while ruffing in dummy. Meantime West can take his master heart whenever he wishes. The declarer loses one trick in hearts and two in clubs but that is all, and the very well-played contract rolls home.