Hand of the week

Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 18th August 2024

Playing Match Point pairs where every overtrick is important plan your play in 4♥ after West leads the ♦King.

If you would like to play this out click here

Dealer: South Vul Both

♠	A K 9 6
♥	J 7 5
♦	A 9 4
♣	A 6 3

♠	Q J 7 2
♥	-
♦	K Q 10 6 5 2
♣	K 7 2

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	10 5 4 3
♥	A 10 8 6
♦	7 3
♣	10 9 4

♠	8
♥	K Q 9 4 3 2
♦	J 8
♣	Q J 8 5

W	N	E	S
			2♥
3♦	4♥	End

This hand demonstrates why you must not be a member of the Always brigade. Its true you need to draw trumps but first you need to "Take a Dump". When you do not have complete control of the trump suit (i.e. you don't have the Ace) you cannot afford to let the opponents in and play off their winner.

After the lead here, they now have a winning Diamond. West has the Queen.

So after winning the first trick, IMMEDIATELY play two top spades dumping your second diamond.

Now and only now can you play trumps before finally negotiating your club suit next. When you start to draw trumps you discover that the suit breaks badly and you will need to enter dummy with that precious Club Ace to finesse East out of her trump Ten.

Now you will lose 1 trump and 1 club and with the fortunate club split 3:3 in the opponents hands. You in fact make 5 trump trick 2 spade tricks and 3 club tricks for a very good Match Point score.

You can also play out the following hand to see how the hand pans out. (You need bridgvu.exe programme and it is available free from http://www.haroldschogger.com/movies.html )

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

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