IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

 

 

The opening lead often decides the fate of a bridge hand.  In this hand, it gave up a valuable overtrick.

 

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

#10-39

Dlr

S

Vul

E/W

S

Q7642

H

 

D

AJ953

C

1076

S

A

H

Q853

D

10876

C

J853

  pad  

S

10

H

AJ10642

D

K42

C

KQ4

 

S

KJ9853

H

K97

D

Q

C

A92

West

North

East

South

  

 

    

   1S

   Pass

   4S  

  Pass

  Pass

    Pass               

 

 

BIDDING:  The high card points were evenly divided on this hand but South made the first bid and North jumped immediately to game.  East felt he should bid but the adverse vulnerability convinced him that a cautious pass was the right call.

 

PLAY:  West led a low heart and declarer stopped to count his losers.  He saw he had to lose a spade and possibly two clubs so the contract was safe, but this was a matchpoint event and overtricks were important.  He saw an opportunity for a “loser on a loser” play and discarded one of dummy’s clubs on the opening lead.  East won the ace and shifted to a club but declarer rose with the ace and discarded dummy’s last club on the king of hearts.  He conceded a trump trick and won the rest.  An opening club lead would have held declarer to ten tricks.

 

Note that East was wise not to enter the auction. 

 

 

Copyright ©2010 Larry Matheny