Experts also make mistakes VII

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spingold 1931 Oswald Jacoby, P. Hal Sims, Willard Karn y David Burnstine

23ttawa Citizen – 26 Ago 1953 By Oswald Jacoby

It is pleasant to report a hand in which each side makes the best play at every turn. Unfortunately, however, few hands are played that well even in expert circles. Today’s foolishness, for example, took place in a very famous New’ York club. Everybody in the game was an experienced player, of course, and two of them were well-known experts. The bidding was flawless.

Opening Lead: Q

South got to a very reasonable contract, and should have made it. West opened the queen of clubs, holding the trick. If he had then switched to a trump, he would have made sure of defeating the contract. West was afraid, however, that South had the ace of diamonds — in which case it would be vital for the defenders to take all possible tricks on the black suits before giving up the lead. This was the kind of mistake that an expert might make.

There was no way for West to know that South had spade strength rather than the ace of diamonds. When West continued with the jack of clubs at the second trick, South should have made his contract. South, however, found a way to make an inexpert mistake. After ruffing the second round of clubs, South led a trump to dummy in order to lead a spade towards his own hand.

When South put up the king of spades, West won with the ace and made no further mistakes. He led a second round of trumps, thus clearing out  dummy’s last trump. Now South had to lose a second , spade trick in addition to diamond and a club. South’s mistake, of course, is obvious. After ruffiing the second round of clubs. South must immediately lead the king of spades. West can take the ace of spades and can lend one trump, but dummy still has a trump to ruff the third round of spades.