During our brush with Hurricane Frances this month, I was playing an online practice match when this deal arose. As West, I competed to 3 after partner’s weak two-bid was overcalled, but I doubt this had any effect. Some might feel it “pushed the opponents into game,” but North should bid 4 regardless.
On lead against 4 , I moused over the obvious A, but then paused to consider. Holding the ace of trumps, what’s the hurry? Partner probably has the K for his bid, but not necessarily (especially opposite a loose bidder). I figured I could always shift to the A later if desired. Whether this logic is right in theory is moot, but I hit on a good lead with a low trump. (Ace and another trump would have been better yet, but far-fetched.)
After winning the Q in dummy, declarer immediately cashed the top diamonds and ruffed the J as I covered. East’s spade pitch on the third diamond was ominous, suggesting 6-4 in the black suits since his 8 at trick one was surely a singleton. Declarer failed to heed this warning and proceeded with what seemed like a safe play: He led a spade to the king. Oops.
After winning the A, I returned a spade to East; then a third spade forced declarer to ruff high, as I pitched a club. The 9 then went to my ace, then I led my last club to dummy’s ace. I now had the blank 7 behind declarer’s J-6-5-4, and he could not prevent me from scoring it with an overruff.
Declarer’s error was a subtle one. He should have cashed the A after ruffing the diamond (or sooner), then he could safely try for the overtrick by leading a spade. This way, he could not be locked in dummy, and my 7 could easily be drawn.
Perhaps it was declarer’s blackout on this deal that led to our own — the Fla. Power & Light variety — soon thereafter. Argh! Six days without power or phone lines was a miserable experience. I suppose it had some benefit in changing our daily routine, allowing time to stop and smell the roses — alas, if only we didn’t have to return to the bat cave each night.
© 2004 Richard Pavlicek
by Richard Pavlicek by Richard Pavlicek