Hi Dear Mr Wolff
This hand is so instructive that it is easy to miss the winning line even looking at all cards. Beauty is this works even if east holds all the missing trumps. East is certain to hold A of spades as with that card west would have opened a normal one heart instead of two. Only thing which can spoil the plan to is west bidding two hearts with only five card suit but considering the vulnerability, this may not happen. Very very instructive indeed
Regards
bobbywolffJanuary 5th, 2024 at 3:13 pm
Hi AVRR,
I had just completed bellowing how such a simple hand can become subject matter for receiving such a brilliant declarer play before winning the first club and then playing a heart and only amplifies what we all know, concerning bridge being the best mind game of all time, although in chess, no doubt, there likely requires “deep” thought, before the player to play next, comes up with the only winning solution of making a play, which would appear to many
to be the very opposite, of what is the natural play to make.
hanks much for your comments, especially calling it what it is, extremely instructive.
David SnookJanuary 5th, 2024 at 9:09 pm
Hi all, and a slightly late Happy New Year!
I haven’t looked at the explanation yet, and what I think works is to take the opening club nine with the ace, then play off the ace and king of diamonds ending in dummy, and play a third diamond tossing the queen of clubs from hand on it.
East takes my third diamond, plays a heart to West’s ace, who can play a second heart that East trumps. E-W is now up to three tricks. And apart from the trump ace (a fourth trick) where else can E-W get any addtional tricks?
Does that all work?
bobbywolffJanuary 5th, 2024 at 10:58 pm
Hi David,
Thanks for the New Year greeting and, like always, back at you the same.
You overlooked what will happen in hearts with East, at trick four, winning the third diamond
and then switching to his singleton heart allowing his partner to cash a second heart and lead a third one for East to score up the fourth trick with an overruff in spades, with still the trump ace to come.
The good news however, is your abject honesty in not reading the column first, with proof
being in the pudding. It is always nice to hear from you and better luck next time.
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Bridge-related
Hi Dear Mr Wolff
This hand is so instructive that it is easy to miss the winning line even looking at all cards. Beauty is this works even if east holds all the missing trumps. East is certain to hold A of spades as with that card west would have opened a normal one heart instead of two. Only thing which can spoil the plan to is west bidding two hearts with only five card suit but considering the vulnerability, this may not happen. Very very instructive indeed
Regards
Hi AVRR,
I had just completed bellowing how such a simple hand can become subject matter for receiving such a brilliant declarer play before winning the first club and then playing a heart and only amplifies what we all know, concerning bridge being the best mind game of all time, although in chess, no doubt, there likely requires “deep” thought, before the player to play next, comes up with the only winning solution of making a play, which would appear to many
to be the very opposite, of what is the natural play to make.
hanks much for your comments, especially calling it what it is, extremely instructive.
Hi all, and a slightly late Happy New Year!
I haven’t looked at the explanation yet, and what I think works is to take the opening club nine with the ace, then play off the ace and king of diamonds ending in dummy, and play a third diamond tossing the queen of clubs from hand on it.
East takes my third diamond, plays a heart to West’s ace, who can play a second heart that East trumps. E-W is now up to three tricks. And apart from the trump ace (a fourth trick) where else can E-W get any addtional tricks?
Does that all work?
Hi David,
Thanks for the New Year greeting and, like always, back at you the same.
You overlooked what will happen in hearts with East, at trick four, winning the third diamond
and then switching to his singleton heart allowing his partner to cash a second heart and lead a third one for East to score up the fourth trick with an overruff in spades, with still the trump ace to come.
The good news however, is your abject honesty in not reading the column first, with proof
being in the pudding. It is always nice to hear from you and better luck next time.