Gazette: Bridge...
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"ALTHOUGH NEITHER of us shone on that deal," remarked South reflectively to his partner after recording a minus score, "I think that I outranked you by 3-1 in errors of judgement." Well, that was honest, if a little harsh on himself - one of his self-attributed errors could be classed as an unlucky guess.
East opened One No-trump (12-14 points) and South overcalled with Two Spades. This surely was wrong - South's hand, with its sterile distribution, is far better suited to defence than to offence. Just consider the carnage that would have ensued if he had passed and North had doubled.
Now it was North's turn. A contract of Three No-trumps would have proved easy, but he preferred to raise to game in spades. West led the ten of hearts against Four Spades and, as a heart loser sooner or later was inevitable, declarer played low from dummy.
East took his king and realised that, as his partner could hold very little, the only possible hope was to establish something in diamonds while he still controlled the clubs. So he switched to the three of diamonds. Well, his partner did not hold the ten but his nine proved good enough when declarer tried the eight (rather than the ten) from hand. Now East could establish a diamond trick to go with his heart and two club winners.
And South's other mistake? If he wins with the ace of hearts at trick one, draws trumps, and then plays on clubs, East no longer has time even to attempt to develop a diamond trick for the defence.
Love all; dealer East
North
4Q 9 6
!A 4 3
#A Q 7
2Q J 10 9
West East
43 48 5 4 2
!10 9 8 7 !K 6 2
#9 6 5 4 #K J 3
28 6 5 3 2A K 7
South
4A K J 10 7
!Q J 5
#10 8 2
24 2
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