SpadeHeart 
Little Clacton Bridge Club
 DiamondClub
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AGM

11th April 2024

Start 12.30

Buffet lunch provided

 

16th March 2017
Board 3: Careful Planning

Most pairs should end in 3NT by this route or by 2NT - 3♠ - 3NT if not playing transfers. Either sequence tells North that South has exactly five Spades and enough values for game but not enough to consider a slam.

A Spade lead takes out Dummy's entry and so makes 3NT impossible for North, but no-one should lead from ♠ K J 9 particularly as Spades have been shown in the auction.

North needs to plan carefully. ♠ A,  A K, ♣ A K Q gives 6 Top Tricks with three more needed. The fourth Club should come in for one of those and then knocking out the  A will give the 8th and 9th tricks. The danger is that whilst the defence didn't find a Spade lead initially they will have a second chance when they get in with the  A.

Therefore you need to test the Clubs first. When you play ♣ A K East discards on the second round. That's not a problem if you were paying attention and noticed him play the ♣ 10 on the first Club trick.

You know you can finesse the ♣ J by using the ♠ A as an entry but when you do so you will leave yourself wide open in Spades.

So now is the time to knock out the  A as you won't be able to afford to lose the lead once the ♠ A has gone.

Board 18: Careful Defence

This auction (weak NT, 4CM) didn't happen once at the Club as East played 4♠ every time. Maybe East opened a weak 2♠ (just OK) or even 3♠ (definitely not OK as you can only guarantee 5 tricks).

If North is on lead then the  A is a good place to start. When North sees the Dummy the second lead should be the  K because if North continues with the  K there is too high a risk of Declared discarding the losing Heart on a third Diamond.

If South is on lead with the East hand hidden it is not so easy for North but they should still sense the danger and play the  K when they get in with a Diamond

Board 23: Relying on the improbable

South does much better to use 3♣ Stayman to find the Spade fit and play in 4♠ but three pairs played in 3NT. The ♣ 3 lead is standard and puts declarer under huge pressure. Declarer will get in with the ♣ K but will realise they cannot afford to lose the lead before they have collected nine tricks.

The Diamonds are your only hope and you need entries to take the finesse and a miracle. Cash the ♠ A K and heave a sigh of relief. You now have two Spade entries to Dummy.

Use the first and play the  Q. West does best to duck and so does North. Declarer smiles when the  9 appears from East. Can you see why?

Now comes the  J. West again ducks and so does North, Declarer's smile widens when the  10 is dropped by East.

A small Diamond to the  A now accounts for the  K and a fourth Spade gives an entry to the long Diamonds.

Nine Tricks... ♠ A K Q 10;  A Q J 8 4; ♣ K