Should declarer smell a rat here? Is West really jumping on the C8 (the CJ might be more deceptive) with CAx(x)? Mind you, if South had more high cards outside and (say) CJ1098x the consequences of not doing so could be dramatic. Even so….
Regards,
Iain
Jeff SerandosApril 21st, 2026 at 2:58 am
Hi Iain,
Monday must have unstuck for me at some point today, it wasn’t up last night. You make a good point. Of course, smelling a rat is one thing; being bold enough to act on it is another. It did serve to hyper-focus South on getting back to the board to repeat the “marked” finesse which gave the defense their fifth trick.
Left to his own devices, South might get a fuller picture of the hand. If he came to realize, West started with two aces and ten points, he be much less likely to believe he wouldn’t have opened with the QD in addition. So, he’d probably cross over to the KD and run the nine.
So, South might have got it right, but the false-card was still a great way to muddy the waters – especially as it gives up nothing, the QC is still going to cash.
Cheers,
Jeff
Iain ClimieApril 21st, 2026 at 10:15 am
HI Jeff,
I had the same problem first thing on Monday (this may amuse you – https://screenrant.com/funniest-garfield-comics-about-hating-mondays/ ) but what impressed me about the play was being able to find it at the table, in rythmn (I presume) and also with declarer’s club suit hidden. If the clubs had bene in dummy, and East held CAQx. the play is easier in a way.
Regards,
Iain
Jeff SerandosApril 22nd, 2026 at 3:41 am
Thanks for the reminder of how much I used to like Garfield. The dude understood the true essence of Monday-ness.
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HI Barry, Folks,
Should declarer smell a rat here? Is West really jumping on the C8 (the CJ might be more deceptive) with CAx(x)? Mind you, if South had more high cards outside and (say) CJ1098x the consequences of not doing so could be dramatic. Even so….
Regards,
Iain
Hi Iain,
Monday must have unstuck for me at some point today, it wasn’t up last night. You make a good point. Of course, smelling a rat is one thing; being bold enough to act on it is another. It did serve to hyper-focus South on getting back to the board to repeat the “marked” finesse which gave the defense their fifth trick.
Left to his own devices, South might get a fuller picture of the hand. If he came to realize, West started with two aces and ten points, he be much less likely to believe he wouldn’t have opened with the QD in addition. So, he’d probably cross over to the KD and run the nine.
So, South might have got it right, but the false-card was still a great way to muddy the waters – especially as it gives up nothing, the QC is still going to cash.
Cheers,
Jeff
HI Jeff,
I had the same problem first thing on Monday (this may amuse you – https://screenrant.com/funniest-garfield-comics-about-hating-mondays/ ) but what impressed me about the play was being able to find it at the table, in rythmn (I presume) and also with declarer’s club suit hidden. If the clubs had bene in dummy, and East held CAQx. the play is easier in a way.
Regards,
Iain
Thanks for the reminder of how much I used to like Garfield. The dude understood the true essence of Monday-ness.