A BRIDGE CLINIC

Southland Times, Issue 25306, 8 June 1935, Page 11

A BRIDGE CLINIC

AUCTION AND CONTRACT z POINTS IN PLAY

(By

“Horatius.”)

Look for your re-entries before you play to the first trick, because an error then may put you beyond recovery. Here is a hand played at Three NoTrumps by North in the Bridge World Olympic international tourney, wherein, unblocking had to be adopted in the fust trick: S: K-Q-3 H: A-8-6 D: A-J-9-7 C: A-10-7 S: A-J-7-6-2 S S: 5-4 H: K-J-5 . N—E H: 10-4-2 D: K-3 S D: 6-5-4-2 C: K-6-4 C: J-9-5-2 3: 10-9-8 H: Q-9-7-3 D: Q-10-8 C: Q-8-3 West opened the bidding with One Spade and North doubled. South bid Two Hearts, after which North went Two No-Trumps, showing the Spades well stopped and good filling the other suits. South went for game, largely on his intermediate cards in support of North’s obvious invitation; but the contract can be made only with that play. East opens with the 5 of Spades and now develops the “catch.” North, as declarer, can place all the outstanding strength in the West hand and must, therefore, put up his King or Queen on the opening Spade trick, no matter if West plays the Ace. This coup will provide him with another entry in dummy to take any obvious finesse, or to run any long Heart if it becomes established. If West puts up the Ace, he will lead a Spade back, and North covers it or lets it run to South’s 10. South leads 8 of Diamonds which is run, followed by the 10 to catch West’s King. A small Heart goes to West’s Jack, and another Spade puts North in. He leads a Diamond to South’s Queen, West discarding a Spade. The Queen of Hearts is lead and if West covers, the Ace takes the trick. North must then make his fourth Diamond, West discarding his Club. A Heart puts in East, who leads from J-9-5 Clubs. If he leads the Jack it is covered, and the 10 will be good. If on the first trick West had not put up the Ace, the play proceeds with a Heart lead. In the following hand from the

Olympic the contract is made by careful play: S: 9-7 H: K-Q-J-8-2 D: K-6 C: K-8-4-3 S: A-K-8-4-3 N S: J-5-2 H: A-7-3 W—E H: 6-4 D: 7-2 S D: A-Q-9-5-4 C:Q-5-2 C: A-7-6 S: Q-10-6 H :10-9-5 D t J-10-8-3 C:J-10-9 West plays Four Spades, North opening with the King of Hearts, and at once West must see that he does not want Dummy forced on Hearts, so he will duck. North will probably 'continue the Heart and West’s Ace makes. At once the Diamond finesse is tried, the Queen holding the trick. Two rounds of trumps will be taken by Ace and King, leaving the Queen outstanding. A low Diamond to East’s Ace and a third round is ruffed by West, who leads a Heart for Dummy to ruff and the next Diamond ruff sets up the last card of that suit. A Club is led to ; Dummy’s Ace and the last Diamond is led. If South trumps, West will discard and make his last trump, if South holds off, the Diamond makes. Thus the contract is made, but the precautionary “duck” on the first lead is most important. In this hand the first trick is important : S: J-10-9-8-2 H: A-5-4 D: 7-2 C: 9-7-4-S: A-Q-3 N S: 7-6-4 H : K-Q-8 W—E H: J-3 D: J-9-6-4 S D: A-K-10-5 C: K-J-6 C: Q-10-5-2 S: K-5 H: 10-9-7-6-2 D: Q-8-3 C: A-8-3 West is playing Three No-Trumps and North opens with the Jack of Spades, on which South puts his King to unblock, but West seeing this should hold off his Ace. He knows that his opponents with two Aces must get in twice and if South is deprived of Spades one line of communication with North is broken. South returns the Spade A’hich West wins and tackles Clubs seeking that Ace which is found with South but he has no Spades and therefore tries his Hearts, which falls to North’s Ace. A Spade knocks out West’s Ace, but now! after the Diamond Ace is made the last Club is good. If South has held bis Diamonds, he has discarded his good Hearts; if he has saved his Hearts be has uncovered his Queen of Diamonds. If West puts up the Ace of I Diamonds on the first trick he can

• be beaten because the Spades can be established before North’s Ace is knocked out or else the Hearts will be set up for South. A Problem. S: A-Q H: Q-7 D: A-6-5 C: 5-4 S: J N S: K-10-9-8-7-6 H: J-6 W—E H: 10 ' D: 9-8-7 S D: Q-J C: 10-9-8 C: — S: 5-4-3-2 H: — D: 2 C: A-K-7-6 At No-Trumps, South has the lead, and must take eight of the nine tricks against any defence.