Improve Your Play #06-47

IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

The successful declarer will study the entire hand before he plays to trick one. Here is a good example.

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

Hand #47
Dlr	E
Vul	E/W

	Q2
	AK
	KQ8752
	1073

	9763
	876
	A9
	KQ94

	J5
	10952
	1063
	A865

	AK1084
	QJ43
	J4
	J2

West	North	East	South
		Pass	1
Pass	2	Pass	2
Pass	3	Pass	3
Pass	3	Pass	4
All Pass

BIDDING: This N/S pair plays the 2/1 system so 2

was forcing to game. Over his partner's 2

bid, North's bid of the fourth suit (instead of notrump) suggested he did not have a stopper in that suit. South next showed a mild preference to diamonds also denying a club feature. After North showed a doubleton in spades, South carried on to game.

PLAY: The bidding practically begged for a club lead and the defenders quickly led three rounds. Declarer trumped the third club and carefully studied his situation. Since he still had to lose a diamond, he could not afford to lose a spade trick. That meant the outstanding trumps must divide 3-3 or the jack had to be doubleton. But if he drew trumps and they were 4-2, the defenders would lead another club after winning the diamond ace. So declarer played a diamond to dummy's king and the defenders could no longer defeat the contract. Declarer next unblocked the heart ace-king and drew trumps.

Note if the defenders win the diamond and lead another club, declarer can ruff this in dummy. Then he unblocks the hearts, plays the spade queen, and returns to his hand with the jack of diamonds to draw trumps. Be sure to see that declarer must not draw trumps before ensuring his tenth trick, a diamond.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.