I also thought ducking the first spade made sense, but thought the real point was going to be drawing trumps too soon. As played, I think West doesn’t have to venture a club, he can return a 3rd spade and force South to trump on the board and then give up dummy’s last trump to get to hand to lead a second diamond. And then with dummy’s trumps depleted, West can lead the last spade and South is cooked.
I thought the best line was going to be duck the first spade, take the second and immediately lead a diamond, East takes and seems likely to lead back a 3rd spade. Trump it on the board and only now draw trumps before leading the second diamond. With a trump left on the board, there is no longer any way to defeat the contract regardless of how the clubs lie. Plus, if they lay very badly with East holding KJx, the only chance to defeat the contract would be for West to find the club switch at trick 2. That would seem like an amazing play to find at that early point.
Cheers,
Jeff
Iain ClimieNovember 25th, 2024 at 5:22 pm
Is it my laptop or has anyone else lost the column for today but can still see Jeff’s comment? I’ll check my mobile
Iain
Iain ClimieNovember 25th, 2024 at 5:28 pm
Hi again,
It’s my laptop. To what extent should South draw trumps here, especially as they might easily be 3-1? One maybe, confirming they aren’t 4-0, but then time to play a diamond.
Regards,
Iain
Iain ClimieNovember 25th, 2024 at 6:24 pm
Sorry, try with the brain in gear as NS have 10trumps. Draw one round of trumps after taking the 2nd spade and then play a diamond…..
Jeff SerandosNovember 25th, 2024 at 9:11 pm
Hi Iain,
Right at the end, I wondered if drawing one round of trumps first was better than an immediate diamond, but my brain was pretty tired by then so I went with hit Submit instead. But I think you are right.
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Hi Bobby,
I also thought ducking the first spade made sense, but thought the real point was going to be drawing trumps too soon. As played, I think West doesn’t have to venture a club, he can return a 3rd spade and force South to trump on the board and then give up dummy’s last trump to get to hand to lead a second diamond. And then with dummy’s trumps depleted, West can lead the last spade and South is cooked.
I thought the best line was going to be duck the first spade, take the second and immediately lead a diamond, East takes and seems likely to lead back a 3rd spade. Trump it on the board and only now draw trumps before leading the second diamond. With a trump left on the board, there is no longer any way to defeat the contract regardless of how the clubs lie. Plus, if they lay very badly with East holding KJx, the only chance to defeat the contract would be for West to find the club switch at trick 2. That would seem like an amazing play to find at that early point.
Cheers,
Jeff
Is it my laptop or has anyone else lost the column for today but can still see Jeff’s comment? I’ll check my mobile
Iain
Hi again,
It’s my laptop. To what extent should South draw trumps here, especially as they might easily be 3-1? One maybe, confirming they aren’t 4-0, but then time to play a diamond.
Regards,
Iain
Sorry, try with the brain in gear as NS have 10trumps. Draw one round of trumps after taking the 2nd spade and then play a diamond…..
Hi Iain,
Right at the end, I wondered if drawing one round of trumps first was better than an immediate diamond, but my brain was pretty tired by then so I went with hit Submit instead. But I think you are right.
Cheers,
Jeff