The Hand that almost was!
Playing at the Victoria Sectional in the Sunday Swiss. I held this hand in third chair.
Dealer East E-W Vul.
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North |
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♠ 9 ♥ K752 ◊ AK652 ♣ AJ7 |
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The auction was
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
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|
|
pass |
1C |
|
pass |
1D |
pass |
1H |
|
pass |
3♠* |
pass |
4H |
| pass | 4NT | pass | 5D* |
|
pass |
6H |
all pass |
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3S was shortness. 5D was one or four key cards in hearts. Not playing Italian cue-bids, Kickback or 1430 left me with a guess as to the best contract. After much agony I made the “All In” bid of 6H.
After West led the Spade Ace, I put the dummy down and Declarer’s hand was
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South |
|
♠32 ♥ AQJ9 ◊ Q10 ♣ K8653 |
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West led the Spade ace, nine, king, two then continued Spade five, declarer ruffed with the heart two, four and three. Declarer then drew two rounds of trump, discovering that trump broke 4-4-4-1 With west holding four trumps.
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|
North |
|
|
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♠ 9 |
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|
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♥ K752 |
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|
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◊ AK652 |
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West |
♣ AJ7 |
East |
|
♠ A5? |
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♠ KJ4? |
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♥ 10843 |
|
♥ 6 |
|
◊ ? |
|
◊ ? |
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♣ ? |
South |
♣ ? |
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♠ 32 |
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|
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♥ AQJ9 |
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|
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◊ Q10 |
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|
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♣ K8653 |
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After two rounds of trumps, East discarded one spade. This was what you know of the hand so far.
You had three tricks in, how would you play the rest of the hand?
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Bridge-related
Okay I bite. The obvious line is to draw trump and then play diamonds and if they don’t break play clubs. I suppose you could draw trump and in the absence of other clues start with two round of clubs. At this point you may be able to deduce more about how diamonds break.
Please see the next post for the rest of the hand.