Championship Stories

I misplayed it slightly, he said (Norway v New Zealand) - by GeO Tislevoll

Meeting the English-Swede Gunnar Hallberg always gives rise to some interesting bridge talk. Although he is a fantastic card player, he, unlike many other good players, very seldom boasts about hands played by himself. This is a hand from the 6th segment of the semifinal, board 26.

Board No.26. Dealer East/All
	♠ J 10 6 5 ♥ J 8 5 ♦ K ♣ A 10 8 5 3
♠ 9 7 3 ♥ K 10 9 6 3 ♦ 8 5 3 ♣ J 4		♠ K 8 2 ♥ A 7 4 ♦ Q J 9 2 ♣ D 7 2
	♠ A Q 4 ♥ Q 2 ♦ A 10 7 6 4 ♣ K 9 6

But what if spades had been 4-2? If so, as Gunnar pointed out, to play a heart back at once in trick two is better. If the heart tricks are cashed, East would have got into massive problems if he held four spades. So the defence had better switch to a diamond to the king, then the spade Jack from dummy. If the suit splits 3-3 it will still be 3-3 later, no problem. But if it is 4-2 with East holding the the four-carder, the defence must find the diamond switch to try and tamper with declarer's communications. Otherwise there will be different squeeze chances. If East has the king doubleton of spades, and alone stopping both minors, he will cover the spade Jack. Declarer takes it with the ace, and plays the spade 4 (!) to dummy's ten. Then he exits with a heart again, playing the oppononets suit for the second time. West is caught in a dilemma, where to take his hearts tricks now will squeeze partner, or never get those tricks. The master stroke of twice playing the suit where declarer has no stopper opens up several winning options on different lay-outs. Make a puzzle out of it for yourself with different combinations where spades are not 3-3.

Expert Play - by Brian Senior

England’s David Price made a 100% correct expert play on this deal from the fifth set of the Seniors semi-final between England and Indonesia. The play cost him one trick and could have cost two, but it assured the success of the contract.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ J 10 8 7 5 ♥ 10 9 7 4 2 ♦ 9 7 ♣ 5
♠ 4 3 ♥ J 6 ♦ K Q J 4 2 ♣ Q 9 3 2		♠ A 2 ♥ K 8 5 ♦ 10 8 6 3 ♣ K J 7 4
	♠ K Q 9 6 ♥ A Q 3 ♦ A 5 ♣ A 10 8 6

Price was in 4♠ from the North hand on the lead of the five of hearts. He guessed well to put in dummy’s queen and played a trump to East’s ace. East continued with what looks to be the worst card he could possibly have selected, the king of hearts. All Price had to do was to win the ace and claim the rest of the tricks, but he called for dummy’s three! East failed to give his partner a ruff now so Price made an overtrick and, with the Indonesians stopping short of game in the other room, that was worth 10 IMPs to England.

But why did Price duck the king of hearts? The answer is that he could afford to see the ace of hearts ruffed out on the third round of the suit but not the second. Consider the two lines of play if hearts are 4-1.

If declarer covers the ♥K with the ace and it is ruffed, a diamond switch establishes a winner for the defence, and that winner can be cashed when declarer concedes a heart to the jack down one.

But when declarer ducks the heart king the defence is powerless. If the heart ruff is not given there is no possibility for a fourth trick. If the defence does take its ruff and switches to a diamond, declarer has time to ruff out the jack of hearts and that creates a discard for dummy’s diamond loser. Again, ten tricks are secure.