The Dispatch – 12 Abr 1984
Today’s hand appeared in 1934 in Louis H. Watson’s «On the Play of the Hand.» It was a splendid book, but we have learned a thing or two in 50 years.
South dealer Both sides vulnerable
Opening lead — K
South ruffs the second heart, takes the ace and queen of trumps, ruffs another heart, cashes the top clubs and ruffs his last club in dummy. He then gets back with a trump and leads a diamond. Alert Play If West plays low, Watson points out, South plays dummy’s eight, and East must win and surrender a trick to dummy’s king.
If West alertly puts up the jack of diamonds, South loses three diamond tricks and his contract. All very true, but South should make the contract without relying on West’s carelessness. When South leads his last club and West cannot follow suit, declarer should discard another diamond from dummy instead of ruffing. East must win. If East then returns a diamond, dummy’s king wins a trick. If East returns anything else, declarer ruffs in his hand and discards a third diamond from the dummy.