Find the Lady
West led the two of clubs, which looked suspiciously like a singleton to my untutored eye, so I rose with the ace and led the three of hearts. East hopped up with the ace, cashed the king of clubs, and gave his partner a club ruff. West exited with the jack of spades, and I won with North's ace and led another heart on which East played a disappointing nine. Reflecting on the auction, I thought West was unlikely to have seven diamonds, or he might have made a weak jump overcall at favourable vulnerability, or might have saved in Four Spades. He clearly has three spades, so is probably 3-3-6-1, I thought, foolishly, and rose with the king, expecting to drop the queen. Two down and another bad board.
If Oscar Wilde were alive he would no doubt say: "To misguess hearts once may be regarded as a misfortune. To do so on both hands looks like carelessness."
And, did you see how Sam Nim, East, could have guaranteed beating the contract? If he gave his partner a club ruff without cashing the king of clubs, declarer would have no way home. And why not comment with your experience on this board?
Your scribe was not on his "guessing game" tonight, and, as in the post below - A Critical Decision, I took a wrong view in the heart suit. North, Stefanie Rohan, began with 2C, intending to show a game force on the next round and East-West gave in to 4H despite the favourable vulnerability.
If Oscar Wilde were alive he would no doubt say: "To misguess hearts once may be regarded as a misfortune. To do so on both hands looks like carelessness."
And, did you see how Sam Nim, East, could have guaranteed beating the contract? If he gave his partner a club ruff without cashing the king of clubs, declarer would have no way home. And why not comment with your experience on this board?
A fun hand. Over the opp's 1D I decided the 7th Diamond and singleton allowed a weak jump overcall of 3D. North's 3NT came back round to me, and taking full advantage of the favourable vulnerability I bid 4D (points shmoints: if they've not sniffed at a slam, partner must have something - hopefully in the right places for a change). This was of course X'd, and a Heart led. Not knowing how many would stand up, and wanting to get some trumps out, I went up with the Ace and led a trump, won by South. A Club to the Ace set up my King, and after a Heart to the King, 3rd Heart (ruffed high), and another round of trumps (luckily falling 2-2), West cashed the Ace of Spades removing my guess in that suit. The 3rd Spade goes away on the KC, for -300. Which would have been a better score if more NS's were making 3NT/4H...
ReplyDeleteI presume that was "over the opponent's 1H". You can see why I thought Mahendra, Sam's partner, would have bid on the actual West hand, when you went to the well twice, Ed!
ReplyDeleteYes over the opp's 1H! Typing pre-coffee...
ReplyDelete