26th January – Board 17: Love All. Dealer North.
What do you make of the bidding on the hand shown below? Lucky or not a good contract was reached, but even so declarer had to show good technique in the play of the hand.
West
|
North
|
East
|
South
|
|
No
|
No
|
2C*
|
No
|
2D
|
No
|
3C
|
3D
|
No
|
No
|
3S
|
No
|
4C
|
No
|
5C
|
End
|
|
|
|
The bidding may need some explanation. 2C was either a weak two in diamonds or the strongest bid in the system, which might explain West’s reluctance to get involved at the beginning in case South held the former. When it became clear that South was holding the strong variety, game was reached in 5C and West led the king of diamonds. How should declarer proceed? If trumps break 2-2 the contract is trivial so declarer played off two top trumps and discovered the bad news. Instead of drawing the last trump however he led a spade to the king and one back to the queen and ace. West played the queen of diamonds and tried a third but declarer ruffed and now played a winning spade. If that suit had broken 3-3 he would have been able to draw the last trump and claim but as it was the defender with the last trump had four spades so declarer was able to ruff the last spade in dummy after all. It happens in the textbooks all the time but at the table less so. In the reply North/South played in a club partscore.
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