Although
the late Hugh Kelsey of Scotland was one of
the best bridge writers ever, his largely
practical books have often been neglected by
developing players who fear their complexity.
Both sides vulnerable West deals
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
|
Pass |
1 |
Pass |
2 |
|
Pass |
2 |
Pass |
2NT |
|
Pass |
3 |
Pass |
3NT |
|
End |
|
|
|
Opening Lead:
3
Cover the East-West hands and plan the play as South on today's deal, from
Kelsey's "Bridge Wizardry." Says Kelsey as a
foreword, "You don't have to be a wizard of
squeeze play technique. Just play cards and
hope for the best."
West leads the
3.
East wins the club king, cashes the ace, and
plays the six. You discard two diamonds from
dummy and win the queen, your eighth winner.
West followed to the second and third clubs
with the five and eight, suggesting that the
suit is four-four and that you are in no
danger. West is under no obligation to play
his cards in normal order, however. If he
started with five clubs (and has concealed
the two) you will go down if you play on
hearts for your ninth trick and West holds
the ace. That is the straightforward play,
of course.
It cannot hurt to run the spades first, discarding a club and two hearts
from hand. On this layout West is blessed
with too many valuable assets. He can part
with three hearts easily but the last spade
destroys him. He cannot part with a club or
the
A
and so discards a diamond, harmless if East
has the tripleton ten. West would not
discard a potentially valuable diamond to
keep a small heart so it seems right to cash
the ace and king of diamonds, which happens
to bring in the contract. Dummy's
9,
which is known as "the curse of Scotland,"
is no curse this time; it is your ninth
trick.
A good declarer (like you) will usually be able to read the position
accurately when there have been several
discards by the opponents so running a long
suit usually a good idea. Note, however,
that you would go down on a cold hand
playing this way if West started with 1444
shape. Cashing the high diamonds would
establish the setting trick for the defence.