45th GENERALI European Bridge Championships, Arona, Tenerife, Canary Islands Monday, 18 June 2001

Masterclass

How did you fare on our four problems? Jean-Paul Meyer shows you how to approach each deal.

Dealer East - North/South Vul
  ª A K 6 2
© 10 8
¨ K Q
§ K Q 10 9 4
  ª Q 9 7 3
© K Q J 6 4
¨ 9 2
§ 7 2

West North East South
    1¨ 1©
Pass 4© All Pass  

West leads a diamond. East takes the ace and returns the suit. How do you plan the play?


The secret here is to guard against a 4-2 trump break. After winning the second diamond, declarer should play the ten of hearts. If that holds the king of clubs should come next. That forces out the ace of clubs whilst the eight of hearts stands guard against a third round of diamonds.

The full deal:

  ª 10 8 5
© 5 2
¨ J 8 7 6 5
§ J 6 3
ª Q 9 7 3
© K Q J 6 4
¨ 9 2
§ 7 2
Bridge deal ª A K 6 2
© 10 8
¨ K Q
§ K Q 10 9 4
  ª J 4
© A 9 7 3
¨ A 10 4 3
§ A 8 5

If declarer makes the mistake of playing a second trump, South wins and plays a diamond, forcing declarer to ruff. Control has been lost and the contract will be defeated.

Open Room
West North East South
  Pass 1© 1ª
4© 4ª All Pass  

West leads a small heart. What is your general plan?


Obviously you must ruff this trick and play a spade. If as expected East discards, you win with the ace, ruff a heart and exit with a club. Say the defenders, who cannot attack diamonds, carry on with clubs. You ruff the third round, ruff a heart, and play two rounds of spades. I am imagining the full deal looks like this:

  ª J 10 7 6 4
© -
¨ K 9 8 7
§ 9 8 5 3
ª Q 8 5
© K J 9 8 3
¨ Q 2
§ A 10 4
Bridge deal ª -
© A 10 7 4 2
¨ J 6 4 3
§ K Q J 2
  ª A K 9 3 2
© Q 6 5
¨ A 10 5
§ 7 6

At the point where you are about to exit with a spade this will be the position:

  ª -
© -
¨ K 9 8 7
§ 9
ª Q
© K J
¨ Q 2
§ -
Bridge deal ª -
© A
¨ J 6 4
§ K
  ª 9 3
© -
¨ A 10 5
§ -

West has to win with the queen of spades as dummy discards a diamond. East has to release the ace of hearts and when West exits with a heart East is squeezed in front of declarer's last trump.

West North East South
    Pass 1§
2© 3NT! Pass 4©
Pass 6§ All Pass  

West leads the king of hearts.


After winning with the with the ace, draw trumps, hopefully in not more than three rounds and play off the ace and king of diamonds. If the queen falls on the second round you can claim, but if West discards a heart on the second diamond declarer will have to take three rounds of spades, finessing against West and discarding a heart from hand and then play the jack of hearts pitching a diamond. West will have to win and give a ruff and discard.
The full deal:

  ª A K J
© J 3
¨ J 9 5 3
§ A 10 5 4
ª Q 9 2
© K Q 9 8 7 4
¨ 2
§ 6 3 2
Bridge deal ª 10 8 6 4 3
© 10 5 2
¨ Q 10 8 6
§ 9
  ª 7 5
© A 6
¨ A K 7 4
§ K Q J 8 7


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