THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 147, 24 June 1939, Page 19

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

FURTHER 1939 OLYMPIC HANDS

Continuing the series of sixteen set I hands played in the above contest, two interesting hands are given below with the official comments of < the special Olympic Committee responsible for the setting of the hands. HAND No. 4. East-West par: Bidding and making four spades.

Official Comment.—"East is too weak for a two no-trump response and should therefore temporise by/bidding . two clubs. At his next turn, the diamond weakness rules out a no-trump bid, so East must raise the spades. The jump to .three spades is only a simple raise; two spades would be a mere ' preference. "North leads the Jack of diamonds and the suit is continued, West ruffing the third round. The King and Ace. of trumps disclose the bad trump break, and West must now play the hand so as to limit the opponents to the trump trick which South is bound , to make. For this reason, South must ■ be given no opportunity to ruff a high , heart. •..■•',

"West must abandon trumps and lead a heart to the King. ■; A low heart is returned and, Souths best play is to discard. (A ruff would permit declarer" to play the low heart, after which he could draw trumps and claim the rest.) West wins with a high heart and enters dummy with the Ace of clubs to lead another heart through South. Sjouth discards again for the same reason as before. West thereupon wins with his remaining - heart; and ruffs his last heart- in dummy.

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South how cannot defeat the coop tract." HAND No. 2. North-South par: Winning four tricks against a spade contract. EastWest par: Bidding four "spades.

I Official Comment.—"East; bids hi» clubs expecting to rebid in no-trumps unless his partner shows a rebiddable spade suit. Since that is the case East should prefer a game in spades rather than no-trumps. .'■■•>' "North opens the Queen of hearts, dummy plays the King, and South wins with the Ace. South's'most logical return at this point is a low trump. West winning with the Ace or King. West must now lead a low heart in order to prepare dummy for a ruff

"After winning this trick, North must consider his next step with care. It should be obvious that a trump return cannot prevent declarer from ruffing a heart. It should also be clear that declarer will probably attempt to establish the clubs in order to discard any diamond losers he may have. The clubs can be established if dummy can retain two side, entries to ' the suit. North's only defence is to knock out one of these, entries at once. The diamond entry cannot be attacked without sacrificing a trick in the suit. The other entry is the heart ruff, so North must remove that at once by leading a heart and forcing dummyto ruff.

"Note that West would make his contract against any other lead. He would draw one more round of. trumps, cash the high clubs, and ruff a club. Then dummy would have" two entries for a second club I'uff and a discard."