Sally’s Scissors

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Source: SVELTE SALLY’S SCISSORS IN WHICH SUBTLE SIMON IS SNIPPED From The Senior Serpent

Svelte Sally is playing with her good friend today. Coincidentally, they are opposed to Subtle Simon who deals as East and opens 1. Many of you might compete on the South cards but Sally is cautious with this opponent and passes.

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After 2 from West, North reopens with T/O X whereupon Sally catapults to 4. 3 is led, Simon takes the Ace and shifts to 7. Now this looks seriously like a singleton so Sally now sees the prospect of the defensive ruff for a setting trick. What can be done here?

For a start, the trump King is surely offside. Note – Simon played the A, marking West with the King. Simon, for his opening holds both the  and  Kings. Simon’s dastardly plan is to win a losing finesse by Sally, put partner in with his K and collect the  ruff; two  tricks, K and the ruff; down one!

Aha! Sally recalls the Scissor coup; very much a lady’s thing, scissors! You see, Sally has been reading “suit contracts” by Brian Senior. So she is now able to get one back on Simon here.

How does she achieve this? It is clear enough that Simon holds the twice guarded K. The  switch suggests this so the ruff appears to be unpreventable.

Sally therefore cashes A (well; you never know, do you?) then A followed by the key play, Q from table! Simon takes his King while our slick, smooth Sally pitches her remaining ! West is now deprived of his entry, Sally ruffs Simon’s  continuation, clears trumps for 10 tricks; “contract”, she says.

“Clever gambit, Simon”, says svelte Sally in perhaps a condescending tone; but all warmth and politeness, of course. “Ah yes … of course, ah … well played, uhm … Sally.”

The full deal:aaxx.jpg