16th August – Board 13: Game All. Dealer
North.
Although we all like to
think that bridge is a game of pure skill there is an awful lot of luck
involved at times. On the hand shown below North/South should have no trouble
reaching game, but notice that South does well to raise 1♠ to 2♠ and not bid
1NT. The reasons for this are many, the main one being that when partner opens
1♠ he will either have at least a five-card suit or fifteen points – or both!
And 2♠ is a lot more preemptive than 1NT, cutting out as it does West’s ability
to wander in at the two level.
So where does the luck come in? Well the success of this contract depends entirely upon the opening lead. If East tries for a quick kill he will open up with the ace of clubs, obtain encouragement and a smile from partner, and play another to the king whereupon he will obtain a third round ruff. And the ace of diamonds will provide a one trick set. On the other hand any other lead will enable declarer to draw trumps and set up two club tricks, making in all six spades, two hearts and two clubs. So where does the comfort come in then? Well even if 4
♠ is defeated a bitter declarer can always point out that 4
♥ is cold the other way!
Is 4H cold? Doesn't it depend on a guess for the QD? Is there any way to locate the QD? Or is there an elimination play which would force N/S to lead round into the diamond finesses?
ReplyDeleteYou certainly can't endplay North but you might get an inferential count of the hand and workout that South has more diamonds than North and therefore more likely to have the queen. People say that a contract is 'cold' when it can be made double dummy but here I think an astute declarer should be able to work out the lie of the cards.
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