Improve Your Play #14

IMPROVE YOUR PLAY #14 with Larry Matheny

Bridge is such a great game because every hand presents a different challenge. The following hand is not that difficult but several declarers failed. See how you would have done.

East-West vulnerable at matchpoints.

Hand #14
Dlr	S
Vul	E-W

	75
	53
	AKQJ4
	J853

	J109
	AK104
	87
	Q1064

	Q6
	J987
	652
	K972

	AK8432
	Q62
	1093
	A

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

BIDDING: North's raise to 3

pushed the pair into a thin game.

PLAY: West led a top heart and switched to trumps. Since they will return another trump when they regain the lead, you will not be able to ruff a heart in dummy. Assuming trumps divide 3-2, how do you play to avoid losing three hearts along with a spade?

Since you can't ruff your losing heart, you could draw two rounds of trump and then play on diamonds. This works if the player who holds the third spade has to follow to three rounds of diamonds. There is a better line: Simply play a low spade from each hand. As long as the trumps are 3-2, there is nothing the opponents can do.

Hint: Look for the problem and make your plan before playing to trick one.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.