Aug 01 2010

If Only

podrey @ 3:56 pm

North Deals
None Vul		 ♠ 9 8 7 6
♥ K 10 6
♦ A J 8
♣ A Q 9
♠ J 10 3 2
♥ 4 2
♦ 7 4 2
♣ 8 7 6 3
N
W E
S
♠ K Q 5 4
♥ J 8 5 3
♦ 10 6
♣ J 10 5
♠ A
♥ A Q 9 7
♦ K Q 9 5 3
♣ K 4 2
In the final match of the GNT, we had a very unlucky first half. There were seven “swing” boards – six of which our team bid game while the opponents did not, and the game went down. And one in which our team did not bid game while the other team did, and the game made. This is extremely unlucky – in a normal set, some of those games we bid would have made and the match would have been even. However, we found ourselves down 28 IMPs at the half.

In the third quarter, this hand came up. At our table, the contract is 6♦. I was West, and led a trump. Declarer pulled trumps and played for hearts to be 3-3. When they weren’t, he had 12 tricks.

At the other table, mindful that we were down so much, our teammates bid 7♦. Unfortunately, he played the hand the same way and went down one.

Finding the ♥J is certainly one way to play this contract, but the best way is to combine chances and play for a dummy reversal. When diamonds are 3-2, this is an almost sure line for the contract:

Win the trump lead in hand and cash the ♠A. Now play another trump to dummy. When both opponents follow to the second round of trumps, you have just enough entries to ruff out all the spades.  Barring some freaky distribution in the round suits, the contract is cold.
T1: win trump in hand
T2: ♠A
T3: trump to dummy
T4: spade ruff
T5: club to queen
T6: spade ruff
T7: club to Ace
T8: spade ruff high
T9: heart to King
T10: pull the last trump, pitching your losing heart from hand
And claim.

It’s really too bad that our teammate did not adopt this line. It was a 30-IMP swing, and the match would have been tied. A solid 4th quarter would have won the event.

Unfortunately, life is full of “if only’s”.