21st European Youth Team Championships Page 2 Bulletin 2 - Friday 13 July 2007

Unnecessary Nice Cards

by Geo Tislevoll

Ivar Berg, Norway Open, didn't need one of his honour cards to make this Six No Trump from the first round of this tournament. A small card in the suit would have worked as well as the jack!

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
 ♠ J 9 7 3
♥ 7 5 4
♦ 8 6 4 3
♣ 7 4

♠ 10 2
♥ A K 8 6 2
♦ Q 10 7 2
♣ 9 3 		Bridge deal
♠ A K 8 6 5
♥ Q
♦ A K 9
♣ A K J 10
 ♠ Q 4
♥ J 10 9 3
♦ J 5
♣ Q 8 6 5 2


After investigating with their artifical system, Berg found out West had 2-5-4-2 distribution with an ace, a king and a queen. Good to know, and Berg concluded that Six No Trump should have some chances. The lead was the jack of hearts to the queen. There were a lot of suits to play on here, but it looks natural to give away a spade trick at once, which was what Berg did. West took it with the queen, and continued hearts by playing the ten. On that trick declarer had an awkward choice of discard from his hand, and finally he let go of a spade. Then the two top spades told him all about that suit, and now he played diamonds from the top. Since the jack dropped, there were eleven tricks from the top. Now Berg had no problems recognizing the text-book ending:

 ♠ J
♥ 7
♦ 4
♣ 7 4

♠ –
♥ K 8
♦ 10
♣ 9 3 		Bridge deal
♠ 6
♥ –
♦ –
♣ A K J 10
 ♠ –
♥ 9 3
♦ –
♣ Q 8 6

When he played the heart king and the last diamond it was too much for the defenders. North had to keep one spade on the last red trick from dummy, and then declarer could let his last spade go, it had fulfilled it's mission. So South was down to a doubleton club. Then it was West’s turn. He had to keep his heart nine, so he could only keep two clubs as well. Declarer could finally take the three last tricks in clubs, and it didn't matter where the queen of clubs were placed. The double squeeze would have worked even if East’s clubs were A-K-2!

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