Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 4th December 2022

Playing Imps where overtricks are not important and making your contract is plan your play when The opponents cash two top Spades, two top Hearts and then a third Spade.

If you would like to play this hand out then click here

Dealer: South Vuln: All

♠	10 4
♥	J 10 5
♦	A J 9 4
♣	A K 7 2

♠	A K 7 5 2
♥	A K 7 2
♦	6 3
♣	Q 3

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	Q J 9
♥	9 8 4 3
♦	8 7 5 2
♣	9 6

♠	8 6 3
♥	Q 6
♦	K Q 10
♣	J 10 8 5 4

W	N	E	S
			Pass
1♠	Double	Pass	2♣
End

When this hand was played against me declarer ruffed the third club low and when East followed suit then proceeded to bring down the trump queen and make an overtrick. This play would be fine in a Match Point scenario but when playing IMPS it is important to get home and not risk going off. Had East no more Spades he might be able overuff with the 9 and had clubs broken badly with the Queen offside he would have lost a club as well. He would lose 2 top Spades 2 Top Hearts 1 Spade ruff and 1 Club.

Now lets go back to the drawing board and make sure we guarantee our contract.

We can afford 4 top Major losers and if needs be one trump and still get home.

With this in mind we should ruff the third spade play high with dummy's trump King and now start to draw trumps with Ace and another. We will lose the Queen but now we guarantee our contract - We make 4 trumps 3 Diamonds and 1 Spade ruffed high.

Perhaps West should have been a little more forthcoming and bid his Hearts. Maybe He was worried that the Doubler had Hearts.

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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