Dealer South Love All.

                                    ♠          A K Q J 8 4

                                    ♥          10 8 2

                                    ♦          A K

                                    ♣         6 3

            ♠          6 2                                          ♠          10 9 7

            ♥          K J 9 7                                    ♥          A 5 3

            ♦          J 9 7 6 3                                 ♦          Q 10

            ♣         K 7                                          ♣         J 10 8 4 2

                                    ♠          5 3

                                    ♥          Q 6 4

                                    ♦          8 5 4 2

                                    ♣         A Q 9 5

On our hand this week I was playing South and West taught me a salutary lesson.

After leading a Diamond I won on table and with 9 tricks in the bag I thought taking the clubs finesse was a safe gamble because players seem to always come back the same suit and the Diamond Ace was on the table still.

West won with the King and then after a short while lead the ©7.

He reasoned that I was taking the Club finesse either up to the AQ for either my contract or for an overtrick. If I had the AQ of clubs then there was no room for me to have the Heart Ace as that would give me 10 points and I would have been too strong for an initial 1NT reply. He therefore worked out that partner must have the Heart Ace and 4 tricks were needed pronto.

This killing defence meant i lost 5 tricks in a row and went off in cold contract when I didn’t even need to do so as we were playing IMPS and overtricks weren’t important. Well defended West.

alternatively watch the film of the hand being played out by going to www.haroldschogger.com/movies2.htm