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Brilliancy Uncovered
The International Bridge Press Association has many awards for
excellence but perhaps the one for defence is too all encompassing
and should be subdivided with a separate one for opening leads –
certainly one of the hardest skills to master.
The following deal
would be a worthy contender but it almost passed into oblivion when
it was reported in an earlier edition of the Bulletin.
| Dealer West, E/W Vul. |
| |
♠
10 7
♥ -
♦ K 9 8 6
♣ A Q 9 8 7 4 3 |
♠ 9 8 4
2
♥ 10 8 4
♦ J 10 7 2
♣ K 6 |
 |
♠ Q J
3
♥ Q 7 5 2
♦ Q 5 4 3
♣ 10 5 |
| |
♠
A K 6 5
♥ A K J 9 6
3
♦ A
♣ J 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| assarinho |
L. Goldberg |
Panadero |
U-B. Goldberg |
| Pass |
2♣ |
Pass |
3♥ |
| Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
4♦ |
| Pass |
4♥ |
Pass |
4NT |
| Pass |
5♦ |
Pass |
5♠ |
| Pass |
6♥ |
All Pass |
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North/South reached a poor contract, but one that had some
chances should declarer take a winning view in the trump suit.
However, West, Joao Passarinho found the only lead to ensure that
the contract was bound to fail when he placed the six of clubs on
the table.
Declarer ran the opening lead to the jack and cashed
the top trumps.
Our reporter suggested that the winning line now
is to play the jack of hearts, under which West’s ten will drop.
However, East wins and plays a second club, killing dummy and
ensuring the defeat of the contract.
If West leads any other suit
declarer has only to guess the trumps suit to make the contract.
Under Starter’s Orders
The first board of any major championship is always an exciting
moment and I’m sure most players are hoping not to be put on the
spot. This was fate had in store for the players in the Open series
when play got under way on Friday evening:
| Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
|
| |
♠
K 9 6 4
♥ 4
♦ A Q 5 2
♣ 8 6 5 2 |
♠ A J 10 3
2
♥ J 9 5 3
♦ 8 4
♣ J 9 |
|
♠
5
♥ A K 8
♦ J 9 7 6
♣ A Q 10 7 4 |
| |
♠
Q 8 7
♥ Q 10 7 6
2
♦ K 10
3
♣ K 3 |
Well, it does not look too testing, does it?
When Wolfarth –
recent winners of the English Spring Foursomes – met the number one
team from the Netherlands, Team Orange, the Anglo/Bulgarian side
scored an effortless +120 in one room, making 1NT with an overtrick
when South led a heart.
Let’s move to the other room:
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Bakkeren |
Isporski |
Bertens |
Al-Shati |
| |
Pass |
1♣* |
1♥ |
| Dble* |
Pass* |
1NT |
All Pass |
If you are familiar with the Rosenkrantz double you will know
that North denied a heart honour or length in the suit with his
second pass. That was enough for South to reject a heart lead in
favour of the eight of spades. Declarer, taking a simple view, put
up the ace of spades and tried the club finesse. When that lost the
defence was deadly, North/South rapidly collecting one club, two
spades and four diamonds for +50 and 5 IMPs.
South had passed his
first test, but one could not say the same for declarer. Suppose he
tries the jack of spades at trick one? North wins and switches to a
diamond (nothing else is better.) The defenders can cash four tricks
but what does North do next? A spade is out of the question, and if
he plays a heart declarer wins, and simply plays a low club. If he
plays a club instead declarer simply plays low. After South’s
overcall are we being unkind to suggest that this should not have
been impossible for declarer to find – especially such a redoubtable
one!
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