Several lessons in single deal

Press, 29 May 1984, Page 12

Several lessons in single deal

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignall

A number of points of interest reveal themselves in this hand dealt by West, with neither side vulnerable, at a recent club duplicate:

At one table the auction was a little off-beat: W. N E. S. INT 2t D’ble 24 D’ble All Pass After the one no-trump bid, North’s overcall on a mere six points and a poor five card suit can only be described as suicidal. Knowing his side had the balance of power, East risked a double and South, not unreasonably, sought a better spot. He was quite right, for although the analysis is quite complicated, against reasonable defence North can be held to five tricks for a penalty of 500 points. Since on South’s cards a redouble, expressing condidence in the two heart contract, is a very rare bird indeed, most experienced partnerships give it a quite different meaning. They would regard a redouble as

a demand for partner to try some other suit. On this particular hand, North would clearly retreat to three diamonds, and, although one level higher, the partners would have found an eight card trump suit. There are many variations to the play, but in three diamonds North would probably emerge with eight tricks, not a bad result on a combined holding of only 16 high card points. It is very advisably however, to have a clear partnership understanding on this special meaning for the redouble, otherwise embarrasingly large penalties can result. Lacking such an understanding, South decided not to take the risk. Instead he retreated from two hearts doubled to two spades. With a maximum one notrump under his system and a good holding in spades West doubled. It was true his ace and king of hearts did not seem likely to pull their weight in defence, but against that East’s high cards would be in the other suits. When everyone passed two spades doubled with varying degrees of satisfaction West had the problem of finding an opening lead. It was obvious that the declarer was going to be short in hearts, and probable that dummy would also have a shortage somewhere. To cut down on a crossruff therefore, West led the queen of spades. This proved to be the killing defence. After taking the first.trick with the ace, South could cash the ace of clubs and trump a club in dummy. When he led a diamond off the table, East stepped in with the king and continued with a second round of spades. With no trumps left on the table, West

cashed three rounds of clubs, then made his king of hearts. That was six tricks to the defenders, who continued with a low heart to the queen which South trumped. The lead of his last spade dropped the king, and West then made an eighth trick for his side with the ace of hearts.

The declarer claimed the rest but had had to concede a penalty of 300 to a good defence. What a difference, however, if West had tried the king of hearts as his opening lead. Then the declarer would have been able to ruff at least two small clubs on the table, and a couple of hearts in his own hand.

One down would have been the best that EastWest could expect, and they would need to be wide awake to score even that. When the deal was replayed at other tables, at least one West player drove all the way to three notrumps which, thanks to the fortunate lie of the cards, he was able to bring home.

Two tricks in spades, three in hearts, three in clubs, and one in diamonds were just enough. A diamond opening lead from North would, however, have spelled defeat, for the defenders could have established three tricks in that suit to go with the two black aces.