It’s Thanksgiving – a good day to try crossing a turkey with a porcupine. What you get tastes good, and you can pick your teeth at the same time you’re eating it.
Today’s declarer had a plan so sharp you could pick your teeth with it. (Before you read on, choose your play at six spades when West leads a trump. East follows suit.)
South could have discarded the queen of clubs on the ace of diamonds and hoped for three heart tricks (with a winning finesse and a 3-2 break). Instead, he discarded a heart and led the queen of diamonds, discarding another heart when East played low.
West took the king and returned a diamond to the jack, and South threw the queen of hearts. He took the ace of hearts, led a trump to dummy and ruffed a heart. When both defenders followed, South led a trump to dummy, ruffed a heart, and got back with a trump to discard the queen of clubs on the good heart.
If the hearts split 4-1, South finesses in clubs as a last resort.
Daily question: You hold: Q 10 9 6 6 5 3 2 A Q J J 10. Your partner opens one club, you bid one heart and he raises to two hearts. The opponents pass. What do you say?
Answer: Game is barely possible. You may have no losers in diamonds, your spade intermediates are strong, and your J-10 of clubs may fit with partner’s clubs. Nevertheless, pass. The deciding factor is the weakness of your trumps. That’s always a good reason to bid conservatively.
—————————————-
South dealer, both sides vulnerable
NORTH
Q 10 9 6
6 5 3 2
A Q J
J 10
WEST EAST 4 3
K J 8 10 9
K 10 7 4 2 9 8 6 5 3
K 8 4 2 9 7 6 5 3
SOUTH
A K J 8 7 5 2
A Q 7 4
Void
A Q
The bidding:
South West North East
2 Pass 2 Pass
2 Pass 3 Pass
6 All Pass
Opening lead – 4
—————————————-
BRIDGE|Frank Stewart
