Bridge Logic: Card Play Magic

Source: forbes India

Sanjoy Bhattacharyya
Sanjoy Bhattacharyya

Skilful declarer play technique is a joy to behold. It requires not just meticulous planning, a sense of timing, an ability to combine chances but foresight and imagination as well. The deal given below featured in the second World Team Olympiad held in New York in 1964. An alert declarer will gain a fair number of clues from the bidding. Despite this help, it seems difficult to get rid of the heart losers.

The Chinese declarer came up with an ingenious solution. Realizing the futility of winning the lead (K) in dummy, he chose to duck! West chose to continue with Q which was ducked again in dummy and ruffed with 6. Next came the trump Ace followed by a trump to the King once both defenders followed to the first round of diamonds. When the finesse of the Q held, declarer discarded one black Ace on another. This allows him to take a ruffing finesse against East and arrive at two heart discards. The carefully preserved 4 helps him to stay in touch with dummy! The West hand was KQ10972 AQJ62 J2  – while East was dealt J64 94 8  K876532. As an aside it is worth pointing out that 5 by East-West cannot be defeated.aaxx

For most bridge experts the humble part-score does not get the same attention as the tricky game or the intricate play required to bring home a tight slam. Yet for the true master, the delicate nuances of handling the limited resources available to fulfil a part score are just as challenging! Here is a wonderful example played by the French bridge legend Jose le Dentu.aaxx

With barely enough to scrape up an opening but wholly aware of the power of the spade suit, Le Dentu opened 1. His partner, familiar with Le Dentu’s outstanding technique as declarer, and the pre-emptive value of the single raise chose to bid 2. The lead of the 7 is won by East with the Ace. Back comes the 8 which is won by West with the Queen. At trick three, West plays a low heart and when East plays the Queen it is allowed to hold. A second low diamond appears instantly leaving declarer in no doubt about the opponents’ holding in the suit. Assume declarer wins the Ace. Six losers appear obvious – a trump, two hearts, two diamonds & a club. How do you make one of these vanish into thin air?

It took Le Dentu the flicker of an eyelid to realize that his best hope was a singleton spade honour with West! After felling the singleton Queen in his LHO’s hand with the trump Ace, he continued with a third diamond setting up the suit. When West returned J, he won the Ace in dummy and played a fourth diamond! This led to the rare manoeuvre aptly named by the French le Coup de l’Agonie! East is now helpless. If he chooses not to ruff, declarer discards a heart. Obviously, it is hopeless to ruff high. Therefore, East ruffs with a low card and declarer now over-ruffs. He enters dummy with a club ruff and extends East’s misery by playing the fifth and final diamond. The heart loser is now happily floating in the ether.

East held K53 KQ96 87 AJ95 and sardonically asked partner in the post-mortem what additional values he needed to overcall 2!

MAS DEL MISMO AUTOR

Defence Quiz from Mr.Bridge 87

YOU are East in the defensive positions below. Each 1NT opening by South shows 12-14 points and ...

2012 Festival International de Bridge de Juan Les-Pins

Emanuela Calandra and Guido Ferraro: winners of 2012 Mixed Couples, read daily news.

Wroclaw 2016: Plan, Count, Plan By Yiting Li

Yiting Li, is a bridge professional, that is part of the extremely strong Chinese Women's Team, among other triumphs we remember the Machlin Women's Swiss Teams 2014...

A 2009 USA Trials Board by Adam Wildavsky

This was my favorite deal from the trials. It illustrates another aspect of:

Italy: Open and Ladies Teams Championships 2015 2nd Day

Lavazza in the Open and Nardullo in the Ladies are leading the field. Agustin Madala and Monica Aghemo are leading the butler in the Open and Ladies respectively.

Franck Riehm elected as WBF President

The World Bridge Federation is pleased to announce the...

1st South American Online Mixed Teams Championship

All players belonging to any NBO affiliated to the WBF are welcome!

I Brazilian Online Bridge Festival 2020

Some of the best players in the world are Brazilians, and some of the most enthusiastic players too! Our Brazilian Online Festival has appeal to players of all levels. Your team will play in a friendly but competitive atmosphere, with very well-organized scoring and experienced Directors to ensure a pleasant experience for all.

WBF Robot Tournaments

Come and join the competition through our Providers, BBO, Funbridge and Ourgame, all offering you this great opportunity – we look forward to some challenging tournaments!”

The Endplay

An endplay (also throw-in), in bridge, is a tactical play where a defender is put on lead at a strategic moment, and then has to make a play that loses one or more tricks.

The Scissors Coup by John Brown

Scissors coup (or, Scissor coup, ) is a type of coup in bridge, so named because it cuts communications between defenders.

World Bridge Federation – Youth

The Championship is open to all players born on or after 1st January 1992 (Juniors & Girls) or born on or after 1st January 1997 (Youngsters) or born on or after 1st January 2002 (Kids) in good standing with their own NBOs.

Prevent a Ruff by Jon Brown

West led his singleton club, which dummy's king won. South read the lead as a singleton.

RELACIONADOS

CATEGORIAS POPULARES