Shirley Wright watches Orlando Swiss
.Shirley Wright watches Orlando SWISS.
Jonathan J. Shuster, Gainesville
Shirley: This important hand, from late in the Orlando July 2005 Swiss was a gem. See if you can detect the mistakes, if any.
NS Vul (Hands rotated), DLR North
North
S-Q96
H-J4
D-AKJ5
C-AKJ6
West East
S-None S-J543
H-1098632 H-KQ
D-1043 D-Q976
C-10873 C-Q92
South
S-AK10872
H-A75
D-82
C-54
The Bidding:
West North East South
- 1D P 1S
P 2NT(18-19) P 3C (1)
P 3S P 4NT
P 5S(2) P 6S
P P P
- (1) Checkback asking for 3 card Spade support
- (2) 2 Key cards (A or trump K) + the trump Q
The play:
(Trick 1) West led the Heart 10 (0 or 2 higher) to the J, Q, and A.
(Trick 2) Declarer immediately returned a Heart to East’s Q.
(Trick 3) East led a Diamond to the 10 and J.
(Trick 4) Declarer played the SQ, West pitching a Heart.
(Trick 5) Declarer played a Spade to the 10, pulled trump, and claimed for +1430.
The result at the other table was +680, for 13 IMPs. (6S, 1H, 3D,2C=12 tricks)
Shirley’s Analysis.
The bidding was fine, although I prefer 3C rather than 2NT as North’s second call. This is not an error, however. But the reason is that 3NT may well play better with Hearts led to partner. This still lets you get to 4S when indicated. For those who might suggest 3S over 1S, this is definitely wrong for two reasons. First, it is not forcing and with 19 HCP, you must insist on game. Second, you do not have 4 card Spade support as promised by the bid.
As short as the play was, there was an error on three of the first four tricks.
Trick 1: It was wrong to cover the HJ. Declarer had the right idea. Absent an unlikely 4-0 split in Spades, there appear to be 11 tricks with lots of chances for #12. A Heart ruff looks like a great shot, but you fear the 6-2 split, with RHO overruffing.
Note that since the lead of the H10 promises zero or two higher (obviously zero since the lead would be the K from KQ10), East is marked with the H-KQ. If you save the J and win the HA and return a Heart, East must win, and is in a pickle. (a) A Heart return gives you a safe ruff low in dummy without concern of being overruffed, (b) a minor return gets you an extra trick, and (c) a trump return lets you ruff a Heart with the Q, and whether West shows out or not, there are 6 trump tricks (via a finesse if West shows out). The only way you can go down is if West started with all 4 Spades, and East makes dummy ruff a Heart. No other line can match this in terms of likelihood of success.
Trick 3: The Diamond return was poor. It definitely gives up a trick. You should hope declarer has 5 trump (very possible) and this declarer has a minor card to dispose of and a Heart to dispose of. If declarer has 3 Diamonds and 2 Clubs, the Diamond return would be fatal. Declarer will play the trump, then the C-AK and ruff out your CQ. A trump return gives declarer many losing options, including ruffing a Heart low, or taking a minor finesse. With 6 Spades, this mistake does not cost, but it was still the wrong exit.
Trick 4: The play of the Spade Q was poor. Had West, not East had all four Spades, declarer is down on a cold hand. Declarer was a bit lucky. If the first trump was a Spade to the A, a marked finesse can be taken regardless of which opponent has all four.
When you are endplayed, it is better to give up a trick that removes a guess than a one that declarer could not win on his/her own..