Ups and downs at teams of four contest

Press, 8 July 1986, Page 16

Ups and downs at teams of four contest

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignall

Two very instructive .deals appeared at a local teams of four evening recently. In the first, one team was well behind at the half-way stage in the match, and you will understand why when you learn their final contract on this hand dealt by South with only his side vulnerable:

Pass South’s opening bid of one club was Precision, showing 16 points or more, and his double of two clubs was for take-out. North then took an overly optimistic view of his cards-to drive his partner all the way to a very hopeful contract of four hearts. The opening lead was

the king of clubs, which was won by the ace. Dummy was entered by ruffing a club. Hoping that East held the king of hearts the declarer led the queen from the North hand to the two, three, and

king. It now appeared that he had at least four losers, a heart, a spade, and two diamonds, but it did not turn out like that. West returned a low spade, and after winning with the ace East continued with a spade taken by South’s king.

Crossing to dummy’s jack of hearts, the declarer learned that he had taken the wrong view in the trump suit, but spotted one last chance. Leaving the last trump outstanding he returned to his hand to lead the ace of diamonds, and West fell from grace when she followed suit with the eight. South now cashed the queen of spades before giving up the lead with a diamond which West perforce won with the king. With only clubs left in her hand, she had to lead one allowing the declarer to ruff in dummy while he discarded his third diamond from his own hand. It was now a supple

matter to ruff a diamond, draw the last heart, and claim. By restricting his losses to a heart, a spade, and a diamond, South had made his optimistic contract.

It was a very difficult defence to find, but if West had dropped her king under the ace of diamonds, foreseeing the end play, it would have been a different story. When South gave up the lead with a low diamond East would win with the jack, cash the queen, and put the contract one down.

A little later in another match this hand was dealt by East with both sides vulnerable:

After East had shown diamonds, South arrived at the good contract of four spades, against which West led the ace and another diamond.

At first sight it appears that the declarer’s only other loser is the ace of clubs, for then the king is established to provide a discard for the third heart in South’s hand.

After winning the second trick with the king of diamonds, however, East carefully cashed the ace of clubs before continuing with a third diamond.

That meant curtains for the declarer. If he ruffed with the queen of spades, West’s jack was suddenly promoted to a winner, while if he ruffed low West could over-ruff with the jack. Either way a winner in trumps had been promoted to put the apparently sound contract