IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny
To make your
opponents pay for sacrificing over your contract, you need to be a good
defender. In this hand East was able to
use the auction and the opening lead to find the winning defense.
Scoring:
Matchpoints (Pairs)
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*game try
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BIDDING: This was a typically aggressive
auction at matchpoint scoring. East’s
double was a game try and West accepted by jumping to 4S. Next N/S decided to sacrifice against the
vulnerable game. East’s final pass
suggested bidding on but West felt he had already bid his hand.
PLAY: Since he had raised spades,
West led the five rather than the usual low from three small. The lead was recognized by East as he saw
declarer follow with the nine. Armed
with that information, East decided his partner needed the ace of diamonds and
queen of clubs for his leap to game.
West might instead hold the ace of hearts, but East stuck with his
original assumption and shifted to his singleton diamond at trick two. West won the ace and returned the deuce of
diamonds, a suit-preference card asking for a club return. East ruffed the diamond and then played his
king of clubs. After receiving
encouragement from his partner, East continued with the jack of clubs to his
partner’s queen. A third diamond was now
ruffed and N/S finished down four for -800.
Most E/W pairs were allowed to play 4S making five for +650.
Copyright ©2011 Larry Matheny