Hi Bobby,

A pity for West that the S4 and S2 wern’t reversed (the absence of the 2 in the first 2 tricks shows something fishy even if East returns the S4, as you note) but maybe West could try leading the spade 2 at T1, especially opposite a partner who tends to return the opening lead in seacrh of the quiet life.

regards,

Iain

While the column and Iain are talking about spade spots, I might mention the cunning of the hand composer to give North the 8S.

(Swap the 8S for either the 6S, 5S, or the 3S and you will see what I mean)

Hi Iain,

You, once again, by your rhetoric, have accurately summarized a more common than realized, chance for a clever defense against even a top flight declarer.

However, in order to fool a suburb declarer, West would have had to start with a lie, while playing 4th highest leads (the most common form of leading and for many yeas) he would have needed to lead the deuce, not the five and then East would complete the bridge seduction by leading back his lowest the four (showing four spades instead of the three he actually had).

This combination of effort by those two wily defenders would no doubt (after the queen of clubs was dropped) would (should) cause even a perceptive declarer to conservatively knock out the ace of hearts and intend to score up five clubs, two hearts, one spade and the game going trick the ace of diamonds without having to risk the diamond finesse.

All together a brilliant defensive gambit brought about by legal deception of the highest order by a very talented EW duo.

Of course, Iain, your description of poor East just returning his partner’s opening lead, in the interest of pleasing partner (who generally likes his opening lead suits returned while defending NT).

However your mention of the word quiet would be a considerable underbid when the dummy, North, would no doubt have thrown everything at his partner, including the kitchen sink, when he, along with his naive partner, would confess to being taken in by the stealth (though indeed beautiful and totally legal)) of his very talented opponents.

At least to me, the above hand, if defended in that manner, would indeed be a glorious episode in the saga of just how great a game we all love (at least to attempt) to play, can be.

And thanks for calling it to our attention, since at the table declarer should have, and did, play it the right way.

Hi Jim2,

Yes, as always, you have spotted a play by East of implying that by his holding the eight of spades instead of the lowly six he would have inserted it in preference to rising with the ace.

No doubt most readers will now realize that East could have withheld his ace anyway by merely underplaying his six under the dummy’s eight and then if declarer selects a hoped for 4-4 break (instead of what happened, 5-3) he will also go down.

Sure he could, but then the evidence would be different and we will never know which direction this declarer would select.

All just another testament to why bridge is, at least IMO, far and away the greatest mind game ever invented, if, for no other reason, all the competitive variables which appear to be ever present.

Thanks to you for your constant awareness of what could constitute what Paul Harvey, a late and great conservative popular Newscaster from the USA, used to announce as, “The Rest of the Story”.

And to all others, are you listening David?, who also often contribute mightily to keeping us on our toes and hopefully, off of yours.

Hi Jim2,

And I, in my rush to judgment with Jim2’s comment, totally overlooked a likely other reason for a switch between dummy’s spade eight with East’s spade six.

By such a switch and of course then the play of the eight (over dummy’s six) would keep a dummy entry absent, thus disable declarer from taking two diamond finesses, making the hand impossible to score up legitimately.

Please excuse my denseness in being so late in recognizing that likely primary intended meaning by Jim2.

🙂

Hi folks,

As an afterthought, it is a very good hand for reverse attitude signals – just play the S4 at T1 and wait for your next chance.

Iain

Jim2, you threw out this intriguing post a few weeks back – but then never gave us the full story! Don’t you think we’ve waited long enough? 🙂

“Had a “bridge column hand” at the table yesterday.

A9
104
AK10863
A74

KQ108642
A8542
–
Q

With opponents silent, you land gently in 6S. The opening lead is a smallish club. How do you play?”

Hi Jeff S,

I wasn’t asked, but I don’t want to let the club ride, but rather take the ace and give up a heart with the idea of trumping one in dummy and throwing 2 on the AK of diamonds and navigating between hands with a club ruff.

For details, the AK of diamonds should be cashed before an opportunity is afforded an opponent to discard a diamond, who may be relatively short in both red suits. On the third heart led from hand a choice needs to be made on whether to ruff with the ace or the nine (assuming that the opponents have not switched to a spade when in with a heart).

Nothing spectacular involved, but this line perhaps measures up to at least 50%.

The lead of the spade 2 gives East a real problem. If it is legitimate, then a switch to diamonds playing partner for at least Q10x and 4 spades to the J may be the best way to beat the contract.

Yes, I am listening. Now your turn: can you answer my question from yesterday, please?

I do not know how the hand was played at the table. I was the Board hand and excused myself from the table. The result was down one, but I do not know how it was actually played. The only thing I know about the defenders’ hands was that trump were 2-2 with the JS in the pocket.

Hi David,

I have now answered your question of yesterday which is now up on the site.

Sorry for the delay but I did play in the local duplicate today, so I haven’t been that disloyal.
Perhaps to you, but not to the game.