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Mixed Emotions.

There usually are when a slam either makes or fails, especially when it is in that “touch and go” area of a contract that can succeed or fail. Even more so when it comes near the end of a major competition and determines the outcome of the event. We all know that there are many other decisions earlier in a match which can turn failure into success but it is those at the very end which seem to take on added significance.

 

The description of the 4NT opening was “5-5 in the minors, wild”. South seemingly has more major than minor cards. Perhaps, their hearts are longer/ better than their spades as otherwise they might have bid 5. You decide not to wait and find out and with vulnerability in your favour, opt for what you hope will be a reasonable 6-level sacrifice. When you get to see dummy, you have chances of the best kind of sacrifice, a making one!

So, plan the play as North leads Q. Trumps do not break 4-0.

It looks like you now have a good chance of making. No play on a spade lead but some chance now. It really would be very helpful for trumps not to break 4-0. Indeed, if they break 2-2, it would seem you are just about there.

 
   Sam and Jo

At the other table, 5 had been bid and made…11 tricks. Jo Simpson did not, of course, know that. She ruffed the opening lead and played A noting the fall of the J from South. Next came K taken by South’s ace and a high heart continuation. Jo ruffed and laid down Q but no jack appeared…and from that point on, the contract had to fail.

 

She ruffed a diamond bringing down the jack and then played a club to dummy. However, she could not draw North’s last trump at that point and North was able to ruff the fourth round of diamonds as Jo discarded the first of her losing spades…down 1 and 11 imps out.

That J was perhaps a clue to the winning line. If it was a true card, then Jo would only succeed if North held the A (3-2 break) but even then there could be difficulties if North withheld the ace on the first round of the suit.

Since you have to draw trumps at some point, why not do so at the start? A 3-1 club break will make the contract quite difficult, if not impossible unless J is doubleton or singleton. You need to set up diamonds but cannot afford to ruff a diamond.  So, either draw trumps immediately or certainly after South has taken A and forced again with A. Then would come the big moment that would decide the winners of the Mixed Trial, a second diamond from the West hand…and “closing your eyes” and hoping 8 has won the trick.

The bidding did suggest South was very short of minor cards and with North having contributed 3 and 6 in some order, chances were reasonable that South held 4.

The final margin in the Mixed Trial was 10 imps and rather than losing 11 imps, Fisher would have gained 13 had the slam made. 5x down 2 would have given Fisher 3 imps. That was Board 60 in a 64 board match. Fisher was to have one more opportunity on Board 61 which would have saved 11 imps had a contract made. Pressure points.

Another pressure point.

We all know opening leads can be quite significant (that is a gross understatement!) So, try this one. Not that it matters particularly but you are playing Teams!

 

2 was a Weak Two. 3 was natural, Lebensohl style showing value but less than opening values. 3 was forcing. The rest was natural. Have fun! Only about 24 imps at stake!

Richard Solomon

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