The Right Time By Omar Sharif

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Gettysburg Times – 30 Ene 2004

Both vulnerable. North deals.

Opening lead: 10

The odds on one of two finesses succeeding are 3-to-1 in favor. But why settle for three-quarters of the pie when you can have it all?

The auction has points of interest. With only a doubleton heart, East cannot make a takeout double of North’s one-club opening. This is one of those occasions where overcalling in a good four-card suit is perfectly acceptable. Since three hearts would not be forcing, North correctly jumped to the heart game.

West led the ten of spades, East won the king and ace and led a third spade. Declarer was pleasantly surprised to see West follow suit since, after the overcall, he expected the third round of spades to be ruffed. South drew trumps in two rounds, ending in hand and led a club to the queen, losing to East’s king.

The diamond return was won in hand and declarer tried another club finesse, East capturing the ten with the jack — down one. Declarer was in a bit too much of a hurry to take the club finesses. After winning the third spade and drawing trumps, declarer can ensure the contract by cashing the ace and king of diamonds, discarding a club from dummy.

Now a club is finessed and, although it loses to East’s king, it is a case of the operation was unsuccessful but the patient survived. East must either lead into the table’s club tenace or give declarer a ruff-sluff. Either way, the second club loser vanishes.