7th Feb – Board 13: Game All. Dealer North. The featured hand caused headaches all around the room when what started in orderly fashion ended up as little more than a guessing game.
North/South at most tables reached 5
♦ on minimum values and more than once the opposition were tempted to express an opinion that that particular contract would not make. Sadly for them they were wrong, because with careful play declarer will set up the clubs for heart discards thus confining his losers to one spade and one club. But at least one table battled on to 5
♥, a good save as it happens, and even better when it was allowed to make. I can only imagine North started with the ace of diamonds and continued the suit, allowing declarer to draw trumps, take a winning spade finesse and eventually concede a club after chucking a couple away. However I think a club switch should be found because any trump or spade losers declarer might have are not going to vanish, whereas any club losers might – and indeed were. Still it was a tough defence.
As an aside I see that the Law of Total Tricks is vindicated for once. If that concept is new to you I would be happy to tell you, but believe me you don’t really want to know.
Mea Culpa I allowed it to make, as you say I played the ace and did not notice partner playing low to discourage another and indicating a club switch.
ReplyDeleteWell it's only too easy to go wrong in the heat of battle and the opposition certainly did well to go to the five level. I'm not sure I would have done. But thanks for the comment, much appreciated. Have a super holiday in NZ but make sure you continue to read the blog!
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