| Hand 11: The Trick's in the timing |
Show Detail |
The auction given isn't very scientific.. South may upgrade her hand because of the heart singleton in which case North would accept the invitation with five good Spades and a Losing Trick Count of 8. If South rebids 2♠ then North should bid 3♠ because that's what they would have bid if South had opened 1♠.
East-Wests who sacrifice in 5♥ do well as the hands lie but risk a bottom if three down and it is difficult to see how they can be sure of avoiding that fate from the bidding.
Ten tricks are there for the taking in Spades, but only one pair did so. How should the hand be played?
|
| Show Answer |
Count your losers before playing a card.
North has three Heart losers and two Club losers making five which is two more than she can afford. Nothing can be done about the Club losers but the Heart losers can be trumped in Dummy if you get the timing right.
If trumps split 2-2 you can draw trumps then exit with a Heart and you're home. However if they don't split 2-2 you must ruff your Heart losers before drawing trumps. That is the oft-mentioned 'compelling reason to delay drawing trumps'. So the key play is to play a Heart at trick two setting up the heart ruffs for when you next get in. |
|
|
|
|
| Timing from 44 Years Ago |
Show Detail |
This hand was played by Mike Lawrence in the semi-finals of the World Bridge Olympiad in 1972. It bears some similarity to board 11 above.
The bidding is straightforward with the suits after 3♠ being control-showing cue-bids and 5NT being Josephine (Grand Slam Force) asking partner to bid 7♠ with two of the top three honours.
The lead was the ♠3. You can make 13 tricks if the ♦Q drops or if Hearts split 3-3, neither of which is likely.
Mike Lawrence found a better plan. Can you see what he did?
|
| Show Answer |
Mike first tested the Trumps to make sure they split 3-2.
Then he cashed the ♦ A K before crossing to the ♥ A and ruffing a small Diamond.
Back to Dummy with the ♣ K and another Diamond ruff.
Back again to Dummy with ♣ A and a Club Ruff.
With no Trumps left in his own hand he crosses again to Dummy with the ♥ Q and draws the last Trump.
Now the ♥ K provides him with the well-deserved thirteenth trick.
This technique, 'Dummy Reversal', is another 'compelling reason' to delay drawing trumps.
|
|
|
|
|