CONTRACT BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23082, 6 July 1938, Page 19

CONTRACT BRIDGE

DRAWING TRUMPS FIRST EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE BY C. L. KASTOATJS Most bridge players have heard the oft-quoted phrase about those people who were in dire distress walking t'.ie streets of London, on account of their disinclination to extract trumps from their opponents before doing anything else, when declarer. These time-hon-oured axioms, however, have their exceptions, and the following hand is a good illustration of the wisdom of stopping to review the general situation to find out a way to avoid an awkward guess if there is any other better line of play:

West opened the heart king, and then shifted to the diamond king. Now declarer could see one heart and two diamond losers and therefore could not afford to lose a trump trick. Instead of finessing in the trump suit or playing for tlie drop, he adopted the following shrewd line of play:— Winning with the diamond ace, he immediately led, a small heart from dummy and ruffed with the spade six. A club was then led to the jack and another heart led and ruffed. The queen of clubs followed and taken with the king and the last heart led and rutfed. Ihe nee of clubs was then laid down. If \\ est had ruffed, dummy would overrun and the declarer's search for the spade queen would have been so much nearer a successful conclusion. West did not oblige, however; he discarded a diamond. and dummy, did likewise. The situation was now as follows: U72 0 8 4 -AQ4 2 * 5 A 0 10 9 0 Q * 10 9 4 A J 10 0 6 5 All declarer now had to do was to exit with a diamond and turn the problem of the missing trump honour over to the defence. The ordinary player would probnblr have met defeat on this hand, sineu liis inclination would be to draw trumps either by straight leads or to "finesse the natural way" through East. LAST WEEK'S HAND South dealer.

South is in a contract of five diamonds and West loads the diamond jack. Declarer should win lead and draw the ten. A low trump to dummy and a heart led; when East plays low the trick should be passed to. West. The latter returns a heart; declarer wins, cashes remaining heart trick, plays the spade ace, and enters dummy with a trump. The spade queen is now led. West must win and his return will cither give declarer a ruff in dummy while discarding his club queen (the 7 of clubs was discarded on the spade) or a lead up to the club major tenace. Had East had the spade king and covered the queen, declarer could always try the club finesse.

CURRENT EVENTS l'ascoe Cup.—Fifth round: NorthSouth, Watson and Tucker, 65.2 per cent, 1; Bruce-Smith and Eastgate, 62.5 per cent, 2; Morgan and McKillop, 59.2 per cent, East-West, Mesdames Waugh and Israel, 69 per cent, 1, Mrs. Newell and Miss Coutts, 58.6 per cent. 2; Mesdames Ballantyne and Brodic, 51 per cent, 3. Provincial Pairs,—The second round leaves this tournament in a very interesting state, seven pairs being within striking distance for che third and final round. Winn.ers on the night were:— Taylor and McClelland, 94 points, I; Mrs. Ballantyne and Miss Smith, 89, 2; Mrs. Bruce-Smith and Miss L. Hall and Mis* Swap and Miss F. Hall, equal, third, with 86.}. Miss Coutts' afternoon tournament resulted: North-South: Mesdames Taylor and Findlnv, 55.5 per cent, 1; Mesdames Brodic and Hamlin-White, 54.2 per cent, 2. East-West: Mesdames King and Archibald, 59.1 percent. 1; Mesdames Rogerson and Hart, 51.7 per cent, 2. NEXT WEEK'S HAND North , f denler. Both sides vul.

youth is playing a contract of nix no-trumps, after a six-heart bid by Norbli has been doubled by West. The opening lend is the eight of clubs by West; how should declarer play?