MindZine - Bridge

It was a tremendous occasion and a great advert for the game as the entire series went down to the last board and you could taste the tension. In the end I believe our experience in European and World Championships made the difference at the end of a grueling weekend. All six of us have played on numerous occasions. I am absolutly delighted to have been part of the experience but I do feel for the Welsh players and their supporters as they had their fingertips on the 'Holy Grail' but they have makings of a very good team and if they can persuade Peter Goodman not to retire they can quickly make amends especially now that they will gain experience at the World Championships in Aug/Sept. It is important for both Wales and ourselves that we follow up with a good performance in next years Camrose and not allow the English/Scottish stranglehold on the trophy to recommence.

Game All

Dummy (Hugh McGann)

A 3 2

K 6 5

Q 9 7 5 3 2

P Denning

	N
W		E
	S

Adrian Thomas

Q 9 8 6

A 8 7

Q J 10 9 2

Q 9 5 4

K 7 6

10 4

K J 8 6

Declarer
(Tom Hanlon)

K 10 7 5 4

4 3

A 10 8 3 2

West	North	East	South
Hanlon	Denning	McGann	Thomas
1	Pass	2	2
2	3	4	All Pass

At the other table the contract was 4-2 (-200). The opening lead is the ace of heart and there appears to be at least 4 inescapable losers. The 10 of clubs is switched at trick 2 and this runs to your ace. You figure that your RHO has 5 hearts and 4 clubs based on the bidding and play to date. You have to ruff 2 diamonds low in dummy and for this to be possible you need your RHO to have 3 diamonds thus leaving him with a singleton spade.

Ace of diamonds, ruff a diamond, ruff a club, ruff a diamond - all good so far. Now you are at the crossroads - but you know you can make your contract no matter what once you read the situation correctly. RHO is known to be 1/5/3/4. If his spade is a small singleton you can play king of hearts, ruff a heart, ruff another diamond with the ace of trumps. 4 card ending. you have K 10 7 of trumps and a diamonds your hand and your LHO has Q J X X trumps. Lead a club from dummy and discard a diamond from hand - LHO has to ruff perforce and is endplayed in trumps.

You can duck if he leads an honour. You can also make it if RHO has a singleton honour but the play has to be different after you ruff the second diamond. You must cash the ace of spades, now play king of hearts, ruff a heart.

Your last 4 cards are K 10 of trumps and 10 X of diamonds. Your LHO has Q 9 8 of trumps and the Q of diamonds. You can exit on a diamond endplaying your LHO. Which line should you choose?

The answer is in the bidding. If your LHO had QJ9X of trumps, the ace of hearts and the queen of diamonds he would surely have doubled the final contract after hearing his partner bid freely at the 2 level vulnerable. You therefore play along the latter line and score +620 and 13imps.