Much Ado About Nothing
(How much work can go into a hand without actually reaping any reward?)
by Sarah Teshome
from the
National Swiss Teams
Leeds, January 2005
(The hand is inverted so that dummy is at the top)
| | | South
|
| |  | J 10 5 3
|
| |  | 4 3 2
|
| |  | A J 8
|
| |  | A 8 5
|
| East | | | | West
|
| Q 7 4 | | | | 9 8 6 2 |
|
| K 7 6 5 | | | | A 9 8
|
| Q 9 7 4 | | | | 5
|
| J 7 | | | | K 9 6 4 3
|
| | | North
|
| | | A K
|
| | | Q J 10
|
| | | K 10 6 3 2
|
| | | Q 10 2
|
Bidding: Sarah Teshome (N) and Richard Winter (S)
Dealer North, both vulnerable
| | | North | |
| East | | |
| South | |
| West |
|
| | 1 | | |
| Pass | |
| 1 | | |
| Pass |
|
| | 1 | NT | |
| Pass | |
| 2 | (1) | |
| Pass |
|
| | 3 | (2) | |
| Pass | |
| 3 | NT | |
| All Pass |
|
(1) Enquiry as to range and shape
(2) 15-16 with 5 diamonds
East led the five of hearts to West's ace, and West returned the nine of hearts which I covered
with the knave, and East ducked. My prospects for nine tricks looked pretty good. I had a heart
in the bag, and I should be able to make two spade tricks and a club trick, which takes me up to
four tricks. So all I have to do for nine tricks is make five diamonds or four diamonds and
another trick from either clubs or spades..
It doesn't seem to make any difference whether I play the diamonds from hand or from the dummy,
so I try the effect of a diamond to the knave. This holds, but unfortunately when I cash the ace
of diamonds, West shows out, and discards the three of clubs. Upon enquiry it transpires that
this is encouraging. If I believe West's signal, and he looks the soul of honesty, I can make
nine tricks by establishing the diamonds, and playing a low club towards the queen and hoping
that West holds the King. Well this is all very well but before I get to my nine tricks, the
defence will score five, by means of a diamond, three hearts and a club.
So let's think of something else. How about squeezing East? I play a low club immediately towards
my Queen. West correctly rises with the King of Clubs - after all if he doesn't I make my contract
straight away. He continues with the hearts, and East clears the hearts. On the fourth heart, I
throw a spade from the dummy and a diamond from hand, and West parts with a club. The defence
have now taken three heart tricks and the king of clubs. East exits with the knave of clubs which
I win in hand with the queen, and I have to make all the rest of the tricks. The five card ending
is now:-
| | | South
|
| | | J 10 5
|
| | | -
|
| | | 8
|
| | | A
|
| East | | | | West
|
| Q 7 4 | | | | 9 8 6 2 |
|
| - | | | | -
|
| Q 9 | | | | -
|
| - | | | | 9
|
| | | North
|
| | | A K
|
| | | -
|
| | | K 10
|
| | | 10
|
I can see the end position clearly now. East will be squeezed if he holds Qxx of spades alongside
the two diamonds he is known to hold. I will cash the two top spades and when I play my club
across to dummy he will either have to part with a diamond (in which case my two diamonds in
hand are good) or he has to throw away the queen of spades, and dummy's knave scores. More in
hope than expectation, I cash the top spades, play the club and East produces the ... eight of
spades.
The diagram above is how I needed the cards to lie to make my contract. In reality, instead of
holding Queen to three spades, East held three low spades, and threw his third spade away painlessly.
Three no trumps went one off for a flat board.
There aren't many fairytale endings in bridge.
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