Match 2 - Board 58

Board 58
Both sides vulnerable

♠ 9 7 2 ♥ K 9 5 4 ♦ 6 5 ♣ 9 5 4 3

RHO opens one heart. I pass, LHO bids two clubs, partner passes, and RHO bids two diamonds. I pass again, and LHO bids four hearts, ending the auction. Four hearts should show four-card support. But my heart suit suggest that's not what LHO has. Spades seems like the suit to attack. Perhaps it will kill the entry to dummy's clubs, or perhaps we will simply cash some top spade tricks before declarer has a chance to pitch them. I lead the deuce of spades.

	NORTH ♠ A 10 4 3 ♥ A 10 6 ♦ J ♣ K J 8 7 6
WEST ♠ 9 7 2 ♥ K 9 5 4 ♦ 6 5 ♣ 9 5 4 3

West	North	East	South
			1 ♥
Pass	2 ♣	Pass	2 ♦
Pass	4 ♥	(All pass)

Declarer's likeliest shape is 2-5-5-1. Dummy plays the three of spades, partner plays the king, and declarer follows with the five. Presumably he has queen-five. Partner shifts to the deuce of hearts. Shifting to a singleton trump is a dangerous move. This suggest partner has both minors under control and envisions a crossruff as declarer's best chance to take tricks.

Declarer plays the three. I cover with the four, and dummy wins with the six. Declarer plays the ten of spades--six--queen. What's the spade ten all about? It's hard to see the point of that play. In any event, partner's failure to cover suggests to declarer that he does not have jack-nine, so I play nine, the card I'm suspected to hold.

Declarer leads the heart seven. So he isn't crossruffing. He apparently intends to establish his diamond suit. I play the five, declarer rises with the ace, and partner pitches the three of diamonds. I suppose declarer needs to ruff one diamond in dummy, so there was no point in taking the heart finesse.

Declarer cashes the spade ace--eight--club ten--nine. This confirms he is 2-5-5-1. He then leads the jack of diamonds--seven--queen. I suspect partner already knows how many diamonds I have, so I play the five. Declarer cashes the diamond ace, pitching dummy's spade, and partner follows with the four.

What are declarer's diamonds? He can't have ace-queen-ten-nine fifth. He would have taken a ruffing finesse against me rather than take a fruitless finesse against partner. Declarer leads the diamond nine. Obviously partner has king-ten left. If declarer ruffs this trick, then ruffs a club to his hand, he is down to two trumps. When he drives partner's king of diamonds, partner will tap him, promoting my long trump for down one.

I pitch the three of clubs. Declarer sees the futility of ruffing. He pitches a club as well, allowing partner to score the ten. Partner plays the spade jack--diamond deuce--club four--ruff. Declarer then leads the seven of clubs. When partner plays the deuce, he pitches the eight of diamonds. Nice play, Jack! The old isochromatic coup! The hope is that West just assumes declarer is ruffing this trick, sees a red card, and carelessly follows with five. I once saw Marshall Miles make a grand slam this way. (Against someone nicknamed "Rocket." Isn't that exactly the nickname you'd like your opponent to have if you try this play?) Fortunately, I'm awake. I win the trick with the nine of clubs. The heart king is the setting trick.

	NORTH ♠ A 10 4 3 ♥ A 10 6 ♦ J ♣ K J 8 7 6
WEST ♠ 9 7 2 ♥ K 9 5 4 ♦ 6 5 ♣ 9 5 4 3		EAST ♠ K J 8 6 ♥ 2 ♦ K 10 7 4 3 ♣ A Q 2
	SOUTH ♠ Q 5 ♥ Q J 8 7 3 ♦ A Q 9 8 2 ♣ 10

Four pairs made this contract, so we get ten matchpoints.

Declarer was in too big a hurry to pitch his club loser. It's not even clear that pitching it is a good idea. The ten of clubs is potentially a useful card. Upon winning the heart six in dummy, declarer should float the jack of diamonds. If the jack of diamonds loses to the king and the defense cashes a club, you will need to bring home the trumps. But, if you do, you are well placed. You have five heart tricks, two spades, and two diamonds. Either one club trick or the ten of diamonds dropping will see you home.

If the jack of diamonds holds, you lead a spade to your queen and cash the ace of diamonds. You are now down to this position, needing six more tricks:

	NORTH ♠ A 4 ♥ A 10 ♦ -- ♣ K J 8 7
	SOUTH ♠ -- ♥ Q J 8 7 ♦ Q 9 8 ♣ 10

At this point, you have two sensible ways to proceed:

(1) Play for a crossruff: Ruff a diamond, ace of spades pitching a club, club ruff, diamond ruff with the heart ace, club ruff. That's nine tricks and you still have the queen-jack of hearts to produce a tenth. As it happens, this line will fail. LHO pitches his last spade as you ruff a diamond to dummy, so you can't cash the spade ace.

(2) Play for a club trick: Float the ten of clubs. This may drive the ace or West may hop. Failing that, you can take a ruffing finesse against the ace later. If you score a club trick, you need only one diamond ruff, so you can time the play differently to ensure you score the spade ace. As the cards lie, this line will work.

Which line is better? It's impossible to calculate precisely, since it requires making some guesses about what the opponents will do. Would East have covered the jack of diamonds with king third? How about king-ten third? Will West hop with the club ace when you lead the ten of clubs? What can you conclude about East's minor-suit holdings from the fact that he shifted to a trump at trick two? In the end, you have to rely more on instinct than on calculation. And it's hard to be objective about your instincts when you already know the right answer. To be honest, I think I would have gotten it wrong. (1) feels like a stronger line to me.

Score on Board 58: +100 (10 MP)
Total: 456 MP (65.5%)

Current rank: 1st