CONTRACT BRIDGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19625, 20 October 1933, Page 12

CONTRACT BRIDGE

SQUEEZING AN OPPONENT. (Written for "The Timaru Herald" by William Shackle.) Last week a problem hand was given and to-day it is followed up by some remarks and explanations on the method of playing the hand in order to obtain maximum results. Firstly we will take the norma) play as it would be played at the ordinary bridge table and then show how it should be played when all the cards are known. Z deals and plays the hand in hearts, while A leads king of clubs, which trick is allowed to make. The hand is as follows: Y S H KJ3 D AKJ10.43 C A 943 A B 5 A 10.43 S Q 602 H 65 H 742 D Q 962 D 75 C KQJ C 10,762 Z S KJ9B7 H AJ10.98 D 8 C 85 Round. A Y B Z 1. C.K C. 3 C.2 C. 5 2 C Q C.A C. 6 C.B 3. H. 5 H. 3 H.2 H.B 4 D.2 DIO D. 5 D.B 5. D. 6 D. 3 D. 7 H,9 6 H. 6 H.J H. 4 H.lO 7. 5.3 H.K H. 7 H.Q Y can now make his remaining four diamonds, wink 1 Z discards four spades, losing one other trick in spades, 5 over. Alternatively, king of diamonds could be led on the fifth round, and 3 on the sixth, on the chance that B would play one of his three small trumps. If he did so it would only take two rounds to clear' trumps, and thus little slam would be made. B, of course, should not trump, but there is always a chance of him unthinkingly doing so. Now for the play when all 52 cards can be "placed.” Round. A Y B Z 1. C.K C. 3 C.2 Co 2. C.Q C.A C. 6 C.B 3 CJ C. 4 C. 7 H.B 4 S 3 H. 3 5.2 5.7 5. 5.4 C. 9 C.lO H. 9 6. S.lO H.J So S.B 7 H 5 H.K H.2 H A 8. H. 6 D. 3 H. 4 H.Q 9. D.2 D. 4 H. 7 H.lO or S.Ace. If A plays D.2 he can no longer hold up dummy’s diamonds, so Z now leads diamond 8, and with finesse of jack, makes the last four tricks in diamonds. On the other hand, should A play his ace of spades, which was the better play, as he did not know that Z held king of spades, Z will lead king of spades on the tenth round, and then finesse jack of diamonds on the eleventh round. The above applies only if A plays queen of clubs on the second round, but if A plays a diamond on the secoi\d round the play would be: Y takes with jack of diamonds and leads a small diamond which Z would trump. Z then leads a spade for dummy to ruff. Next a trump is led on each of the two following rounds, with Z being careful to overtake on the second round. Z now leads his last two trumps and follows up with a small club, which is taken by dummy’s ace. The trumps being cleared, Y is now able to play his remaining four diamonds, from ace. king, as A’s queen will fall, and they will now all be good. The third choice is for A to lead a trump on the second round. Z takes the trick in his own hand and plays his eight of diamond and finesses. On the fourth round he plays a small diamond, as in the previous plan, thus again making little slam.

The only other choice open to A on his second lead is to lead a spade. If he leads ace It will be trumped in dummv, while if he leads a small one. then a small club will be discarded from dummy leaving Z to take the trick with his king of spades. Then again the play as in the previous example would be repeated.