Article Collection 7A44 by Richard Pavlicek
Article Collection 7A44 by Richard Pavlicek
Florida Belles Are RingersWinning is nothing new to Shanbrom, arguably the most successful club player of all time. Her partner has not been playing bridge that long; but she learns fast and has become a sound, reliable player. Carswell has posted a number of wins already.
The diagrammed deal shows the ladies in action, stampeding their opponents to the five level. Shanbrom, West, opened routinely with 1 
and Carswell, East, chose a single raise because her hand contained doubtful values — good judgment in my opinion. (North’s decision to overcall and South’s 4 
bid are not clearly understood, perhaps for the best.)
5 
x by North
None Vul | J 4 2 A J 7 6 3 2 J 6 3 2 | |
| A 8 7 6 5 Q 10 K 9 A 10 8 7 | ![[W - E]](t.gif) | Q 10 3 8 5 Q 8 6 K Q J 5 4 |
| Lead: K | K 9 K 9 4 A 10 7 5 4 3 2 9 |
| West 1 4 Dbl | North 2 Pass All Pass | East 2 Pass | South 4 5 |
Shanbrom’s push to 4 is best explained as “It was my turn,” but this is the kind of aggressive tactic that a clever player senses to be right at the table. Sure enough, South took the bait and pushed to 5 (actually, North is more the culprit here for the frivolous overcall). Opportunity needs knock only once for Shanbrom, and she wielded the ax.
Watch the defense! Carswell led the K and Shanbrom followed with the seven — a wisely chosen card to de-emphasize the desirability of a spade switch. (The partnership, as do most defenders, indicate suit preference when the dummy has a singleton in the suit led.) Shanbrom figured that her partner would routinely lead a spade if she held Q-J, but in the actual layout a spade shift would be costly.
How many East defenders do you think would come through? This one did! Carswell found the killing play of another club, and declarer actually went down two when he misplayed spades later. If Carswell leads any other suit at trick two, declarer can make the contract by establishing the diamonds.
Amazing Ending
3 NT by South
| A 10 7 6 A K Q 10 7 4 A K J | |
| Q 8 5 3 10 9 8 7 6 J 6 3 3 | | J 9 4 K Q A 9 5 2 Q 8 7 2 |
| Lead: 10 | K 2 J 5 4 3 2 8 10 9 6 5 4 |
| West Pass Pass | North 1 2 3 NT | East Pass Pass All Pass | South 1 2 NT |
North had an awkward hand to bid and correctly chose a simple one-bid. South eked out a response (to his later regret) and the auction snowballed into game. Three notrump is not a terrible contract, and it would make on a good day. This was not a good day.
Rich led from his solid heart sequence, and I played the king (the proper signal from K-Q). Declarer cashed the A-K and led the J, which I ducked to hold him to three club tricks (Rich discarded a heart and a spade). Now declarer led the K which I also ducked since I didn’t want to be on lead.
Getting desperate, declarer next led the Q to my ace. I shifted to the 4; two, queen, ace. Hoping to smother the 9, declarer next led the 10 and Rich perforce won the jack. Rich returned the 8 to the six, nine, and South’s king.
At this point there were four cards left, and I held the top card in all four suits ( J, Q, 9 and Q). Amazing! It’s probably not a first, but I can never recall a bridge deal where a defender won the last four tricks in four different suits.
An Extra Chance bid was a Jacoby transfer, and the subsequent raise to 4 showed slam interest. (To sign off in 4 North would use a Texas transfer instead.) As South I liked my hand so I checked for key cards with Blackwood and bid the slam.
6 by South
| J 10 9 8 4 2 7 8 6 5 2 A 7 | |
| K Q 8 6 4 Q J 9 Q 10 9 5 3 | | 6 5 3 J 5 3 2 7 4 3 J 6 2 |
| Lead: J | A Q 7 A K 10 9 A K 10 K 8 4 |
| West Pass Pass Pass Pass All Pass | North 2 3 4 5 | East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass | South 2 2 NT 3 4 NT 6 |
West chose a deceptive lead of the J, figuring it would not matter to his partner. I was suspicious of this as I won the ace, but I surely would have played East for the Q if I needed it.
With 11 easy tricks the contract appeared to depend on a finesse in spades or diamonds, but there was an extra chance. I cashed the A-K then ruffed a club with the 8. Next came the J for a finesse, losing to West. (Yes, I lose to singleton kings too.)
The elimination play in clubs now paid off as West faced an awkward predicament. In practice he led a low heart to the jack, ace; then I drew trumps, cashed the K and led the 10 which West covered and I ruffed. This set up the 9 as my 12th trick.
Curiously, there was one safe lead by West when he won the K. Do you see it? It’s a very unusual play. To beat the contract he must lead the Q!
Easy Does It
3 NT by South
| K 7 4 K Q 10 7 K 5 A J 10 6 | |
| 2 9 6 3 2 J 10 9 8 7 4 3 2 | | J 10 9 8 5 J 5 A Q 6 K Q 5 |
| Lead: J | A Q 6 3 A 8 4 7 4 3 2 9 8 |
| West Pass Pass All Pass | North Dbl 2 NT | East 1 Pass Pass | South Pass 1 NT 3 NT |
After East’s 1 opening was passed, North was too strong for a balancing 1 NT so he doubled for takeout. South responded 1 NT; North invited game, and South accepted with his maximum.
Normally, it is wise to lead partner’s suit, but West was dissuaded by his singleton spade and struck gold with the J. Declarer knew the ace was wrong so he ducked in dummy; East overtook with the queen, and played the A and another as the defense ran the suit. Dummy threw two clubs and East a spade.
West shifted to a club, taken by the ace. On the run of the hearts East was hopelessly squeezed, and declarer won the rest — making 3 NT.
What went wrong? East forgot to count declarer’s tricks. It should be obvious declarer can win at most four hearts, three spades and one club — eight tricks — so there was no hurry to run the diamonds. Patience!
The simplest course is to lead the K at trick two, which sinks declarer’s ship. If he runs the hearts, East can discard a club and a spade painlessly, and as soon as East gains the lead the contract can be set.
Slam Bid Wins Match
6 by South
| 9 3 J 7 6 2 9 2 A Q J 9 2 | |
| K J 7 4 K Q 10 4 3 8 7 6 5 | | Q 10 8 5 A 9 8 5 10 8 7 6 4 — |
| Lead: K | A 6 2 3 A K Q J 5 K 10 4 3 |
| West Pass Pass Pass All Pass | North 1 3 5 | East Pass Pass Pass | South 1 2 3 6 |
Jim, North, responded in his moth-eaten heart suit and then offered some encouragement with a raise to 3 . Marietta’s 3 bid showed the ace (it could not be a real suit from her failure to bid 1 over 1 ) and Jim leaped to game in clubs. (No one ever accused Jim of being a shy bidder.) This jump bid surely indicated good trumps, so Marietta bid the slam.
Declarer made short work of the play when West led the K and continued the suit, South ruffing. A club was led to dummy’s jack to ruff another heart with the K; then the 10 was overtaken with dummy’s queen to draw all of West’s trumps and claim the rest.
A more accurate defense (e.g., a heart lead then a shift to another suit) would defeat the slam because of the cruel distribution in the minor suits. But the contract was excellent, and the reward was just.
Can’t Get There!
3 NT by South
| Both Vul | 6 3 2 8 6 5 K Q 7 5 2 7 2 | |
| Q J 5 J 10 9 7 8 3 Q 10 9 3 | | 10 9 8 4 4 2 A 10 9 4 J 8 5 |
| Lead: J | A K 7 A K Q 3 J 6 A K 6 4 |
| West Pass Pass | North 2 3 NT | East Pass All Pass | South 2 2 NT |
West led the J, taken by the queen. Declarer had seven top tricks and, unless hearts were 3-3, he needed two diamonds. The J was led and of course it held; then another diamond went to the queen, ace. The K now was like a star in the midnight sky — a beautiful sight but no way to reach it. Dummy was dead.
Was declarer a victim of fate? Or could he have done something? The problem should have been anticipated from the start. Declarer cannot get to dummy by himself (the gas-station attendant was right), but he might force an opponent to put him there. Before leading diamonds he must do some elimination work.
After winning the first heart, duck a club. Assume the opponents return a heart; win and duck a spade. Win any return and lead the J which holds. Next cash all your remaining winners before leading a diamond to the queen and ace. East can cash his long spade, but he must give dummy the K.
But wait! Perfect defense can prevail. When declarer ducks a club, the defenders must duck a diamond; then when a spade is given up, East can cash the A to avert the endplay. This is difficult defense but not unrealistic in view of dummy.
Hold That Ruff!
6 by South
| 9 8 5 7 6 5 2 A K J 7 4 2 | |
| Q 10 3 2 J 8 4 10 9 6 2 Q 10 | | K J 7 6 4 Q 10 Q 8 K 6 5 4 |
| Lead: 2 | A A K 9 3 5 3 A J 9 8 7 3 |
| West Pass 2 Pass All Pass | North 1 4 5 | East 1 Pass Pass | South 1 2 4 6 |
The N-S bidding was optimistic (to be polite). After North’s raise to game, South cue-bid 4 and North retaliated with 5 . South could not contain himself and bid the slam.
Declarer’s best chance was to establish the clubs. After winning the A, he cashed the A, ruffed a club, and returned to his hand with the A. On the next club lead West grabbed the opportunity to ruff in front of dummy with the 8 — a critical error. The rest was easy, as the K picked up the remaining trumps and another ruff established the long clubs.
Instead West should discard a spade. Declarer ruffs the club, returns to his hand with a spade ruff, and leads a fourth club. West must discard another spade and there is no way for declarer to succeed.
Remember this deal the next time you think about ruffing on defense. If the card led is a loser, it is usually better to discard and wait.
Squeeze Defense K from the opening lead. Hence he decided on 6 NT after key-card Blackwood.
6 NT by South
| 3 2 8 7 6 K 5 A K J 10 9 6 | |
| J 7 5 Q J 9 3 Q 10 7 8 7 3 | | Q 10 6 A 5 4 2 J 9 4 3 5 4 |
| Lead: Q | A K 9 8 4 K 10 A 8 6 2 Q 2 |
| West Pass Pass Pass All Pass | North 1 2 3 5 | East Pass Pass Pass Pass | South 1 2 4 NT 6 NT |
East won the A and returned the suit. The only hope was a squeeze, so declarer ran the clubs. Through four rounds there was no discomfort; East let go two hearts; South, a spade and diamond; West, a heart.
On the 5th club East threw a diamond, South a spade, and West was forced to unguard something. In practice he let go a spade. On the last club East had to throw a diamond to keep his spade stopper, South threw a spade, as did West. Then declarer cashed the A-K to squeeze West in hearts and diamonds. Well done!
All this was well executed, but it never should have happened! There were two ways to beat this contract after the Q lead. Can you spot them?
One technique in squeeze defense is to attack crucial entries, and East could have done that with a diamond return at trick two. Try as he might, declarer could no longer bring about the squeeze. Try it!
Another way to foil a squeeze is to prevent declarer from “rectifying the count” (timing the play so he can win all but one trick). East could do this by ducking the first trick. Again, declarer cannot succeed.
Jack Be Nimble and I chose to respond 1 NT (forcing) since my values were so minimal. When partner invited game with 2 NT, I started thinking: Perhaps my 10-9 would be golden; perhaps my diamond suit would be the key. Or perhaps I had lost my marbles! I took a chance on game.
4 by South
| 8 3 10 9 5 A J 10 6 5 9 5 2 | |
| J 5 4 J 3 9 8 7 2 10 8 6 4 | | 10 7 6 2 K 8 6 K Q A K Q 7 |
| Lead: 4 | A K Q 9 A Q 7 4 2 4 3 J 3 |
| West Pass Pass | North 1 NT 4 | East Pass All Pass | South 1 2 NT |
Predictably, 4 was a poor contract; but West found an equally poor lead: a low spade. South captured the 10 with the ace and cashed two more spades, discarding a club from dummy. Next came the good 9, and West eagerly grabbed his doubleton J as dummy threw another club. Voila! The contract was now cold. A club could be ruffed in dummy and East’s K could be picked up with the repeated finesse.
Does this justify the bidding? Hardly. But it does bring to light a defensive error. Despite the unfortunate lead, West can set the contract if he ruffs the spade low. Whether North overruffs or discards, the defenders still have to get a trump trick (note East’s 8), two clubs (or one club and the 3) plus a diamond.
The underlying principle is clear. West should see that if he ruffs with the jack, dummy will shed a losing club, so the best this can do is break even. Ruffing low affords the only chance to gain.
Grand Adventure
7 by South
| Q 9 5 3 — 4 3 A K J 10 9 3 2 | |
| J 10 2 A 10 6 5 J 8 6 5 2 4 | | 6 K 9 8 7 4 3 K 9 Q 7 6 5 |
| Lead: 10 | A K 8 7 4 Q J 2 A Q 10 7 8 |
| West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass | North 2 2 4 5 7 | East Pass Pass Pass Pass All Pass | South 1 2 3 4 NT 5 NT |
The first four bids were routine (2 was forcing to game), then I cue-bid my ace of diamonds. Rich’s jump to 4 was a splinter bid showing a singleton or void. I next used key-card Blackwood — in my modification the 5 response indicates one key card plus a void (obviously in hearts). I next bid 5 NT promising all the necessary key cards, and Rich bid the grand based on the potential of his long club suit.
OK, what would you lead? A non-thinking player would always lead an ace against a grand slam. It’s the setting trick, right? A thoughtful player would realize the A wasn’t cashing (we told them in the bidding) and consider something else. Whew! West led a trump. It was routine then to draw trumps and set up the clubs with the show-up ruffing finesse. Making seven.
A beginner of course would beat this contract. With a heart lead (ruffed in dummy) there is no way to succeed. Try it! In fact, it is difficult to win even 12 tricks when dummy is tapped at trick one.
Copyright © 2002 Richard Pavlicek. All rights reserved.