IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

with Larry Matheny

As declarer when your first idea doesn’t succeed, it helps to have a plan B.

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

#12-18
Dlr	N
Vul	N/S

	105
	A8
	J9865
	A764

	A8432
	1074
	2
	J1095

	K76
	Q953
	Q74
	832

	QJ9
	KJ62
	AK103
	KQ

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	1
Pass	2*	Pass	3NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

*inverted raise

BIDDING: North’s raise showed 10+ support points and South bid game.

Play: West led the three of spades to East’s king. The seven was returned and declarer’s queen won the trick as West ducked playing the deuce. It was clear West had led from a five-card suit so declarer could not allow the opponents to win a trick. If the diamonds were favorable declarer could count eleven tricks so he next cashed the ace and the king. He was disappointed to see West discard on the second round. Still, declarer was not finished; he unblocked the king and queen of clubs followed by a heart to dummy’s ace. He cashed the ace of clubs and then led a low heart to his jack. When that won he had his nine tricks: 1 spade, 3 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 3 clubs.

Unfortunately, at several tables 3NT was declared from the North hand and a heart lead from East allowed those declarers time to concede a diamond trick and collect ten tricks. Matchpoint bridge is a difficult game and the scoring often seems unfair.

Copyright ©2012 Larry Matheny