All News

Counting on it.

Are you? Counting on beating the contract, that is. You look pretty well placed to do so this time. Have you got your eye on the ball? We will see what “the ball” is shortly. Firstly, it is your play to trick 3.

 

Dummy does not look too flash. In fact, if North had wanted to invite game, they would have bid 2. However, South bid the heart game anyway. Your partner leads 3 and you play 10 to win the trick, with South playing 7. You chance A and declarer plays 6 and your partner 5. So, it is your play to trick 3?

You seem to have the club suit under control and declarer cannot score many tricks in diamonds without your taking one there. So, with two tricks in the bag, some declarers played a third high spade, hoping perhaps to catch South napping and perhaps waste a high trump in securing the trick…or maybe South taking their eye off the ball. There seemed no particular danger in doing so, or so it seemed.

As it happened, where a third spade was played,  South had many high trumps to spare and was now sure to make their contract:

 

A high ruff was followed by two rounds of trumps and then a losing club finesse. It did not matter which club they played in dummy, Q or 10. 10 lost to J but that was the only finesse South took. Back, belatedly, came the K and well aware that they had a trump entry to dummy, South played a club to the ace and to East’s horror, a low club, ruffing. This play works when either defender holds Kxx, or East held KJ doubleton,  a better line than a second club finesse, especially when East had opened the bidding and was favourite to hold the K. That is why a first-round club to the 10 is better play as when West holds the J, the contract has been made.

While South seized their opportunity, East-West should have been recording +50….and it all really comes down to the count. Some pairs lead 3rds and 5ths. Immediately, here at trick 1, East knows their partner is the one with 3 spades (unless the lead was a singleton which a second round of spades would reveal). However, if you do not lead that way, West should lead 4 and on the second round play 5. It would be wrong for West to lead 5 at trick one, giving the impression they held a doubleton. 

As well as counting, East has, of course, has to be watching. The lead of the 4 followed by the 3 shows a doubleton and 4 followed by the 5 shows at least a three card suit (“MUD” leads- middle, up, down). Every method should be able to identify the length of West’s spade suit after two rounds have been played.

Then, East’s card at trick 3 will be K. It should be quite easy to find that switch. It would be harder but still necessary if East held only one of K or Q. Never take your mind off the goal of defeating a contract. Any East who played three rounds of spades did so here.

With the club cards so well placed for East and the A a doubleton, the only game which could be made was 4 by East-West.  No pair bid that as the best kind of sacrifice. No East-West should have recorded -420 but some did.

 

Richard Solomon

 

Go Back View All News Items