Tough Game
by Marek Wojcicki
During the only ladies match shown in Vugraph we could see one more example of a tough battle between the defenders and the declarer:
Board 9. Dealer North. E/W vul. |
| ♠ 8 6 5 2 ♥ J 9 5 ♦ A Q 9 ♣ 7 5 3 | ♠ K 7 3 ♥ 7 3 ♦ J 8 4 | ![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) | ♠ A Q 10 9 4 ♥ K Q 8 4 ♦ K | | ♠ J ♥ A 10 6 2 ♦ 10 7 6 5 3 2 ♣ 4 2 |
Open Room
West | North | East | South
|
Von Arnim | Smith | S. Auken | Dhondy
|
| pass |
1♣(1) |
2♦2
|
dbl. | 3♦ | 3♠ | pass
|
4♠ | pass | 4NT | pass
|
5♣ | pass | 5♠ | pass…
|
(1) strong club
2 preemptive
The German pair, after a slam try, was in a contract that was in danger when the trump split 4-1. Heather Dhondy led ♦2. Small from the dummy, ace from North and king from the declarer. N now returned the nine of diamonds. Declarer could discard from the hand, but had she a chance to guess it? She ruffed and cashed ace of trumps. Jack from South… Could it be a falsecard? Rather not, as North could have something like Qxx in trumps. Sabine Auken decided to play for the 4-1 trump split. For this, North had to have at least three clubs. Declarer now played three rounds of clubs, ending in dummy. When South discarded a diamond, the contract was safe. In this ending:
| ♠ 8 6 5 ♥ J 9 5 ♦ Q ♣ - | ♠ K 7 ♥ 7 3 ♦ J | ![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) | ♠ Q 10 9 ♥ K Q 8 4 ♦ - | | ♠ - ♥ A 10 6 2 ♦ 10 7 6 ♣ - |
Declarer played double dummy - heart to the king and ace. Now a diamond, ruffed in hand. Queen of hearts and a heart ruff with the trump seven and a club… Just made.
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