All The Difference

16th June – Board 15. North/South Game. Dealer South.

There is a huge difference between playing pairs and teams but this fact was sadly missing when the following hand arose.

	North: S 7 5 H Q J 9 5 2 D A 7 4 C A 10 5
West: S A K Q J 10 6 4 2 H A D 10 3 C J 8		East: S 9 8 3 H 10 8 7 3 D J 8 5 C K Q 6
	South: S none H K 6 4 D K Q 9 6 2 C 9 7 4 3 2

West	North	East	South
			No
2C	No	2D	No
2S	No	4S	End

The above auction is reasonable, with East’s jump to game denying a first round control, but in any event all roads lead to 4S and North will most likely lead the queen of hearts. What should declarer do? Well what declarer should not do is draw trumps! From the very beginning it is clear that ten tricks are cold but to get a good pairs score declarer should aim for better things. If he can make eight spade tricks, one heart and two clubs that will come to eleven while all the time the opponents have three top tricks in one heart and two diamonds. So play the jack of clubs at trick two which North will most likely duck while his partner gives a count signal. (Low for odd.) Declarer now leads his remaining club and North wins but now it looks so ‘obvious’ to play another heart and that is exactly what declarer wants! He ruffs, draws trumps in two rounds and plays a third round to dummy’s nine when he can pitch a diamond loser on the master club. If he draws trumps from the outset then North knows a) that declarer has eight trumps and b) that there is a hidden entry to dummy. In which case it cannot be wrong to cash the ace of diamonds and watch partner encourage and nod. (Well encourage at least.)