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Assessing the Situation

by Sue Emery

Contract Bridge Bulletin — September, 1973

Richard Pavlicek of Fort Lauderdale FL played some fine bridge in winning the Grand National Team Championship. On this deal he picked up a bundle of IMPs by correctly assessing the distribution and high cards held by his opponents.

East deals	8 5 4		West	North	East	South
N-S vul	6 2				1	Pass
	K Q 5 3		Pass	Dbl	Pass	2
	A 10 6 4		Pass	3	Pass	3 NT
K 10 9 7 2		J	Pass	Pass	Pass
10		K 9 8 5 4
J 8 6 2		A 4
9 5 2		K Q 8 7 3
	A Q 6 3
	A Q J 7 3
Lead: 10	10 9 7
3 NT South	J

Pavlicek won the opening spade lead with the queen, noting the jack from East. He was virtually certain West held all the remaining spades because his opponents were playing that the lead of the 10 shows a higher honor.

Pavlicek led the 10 and passed it to East’s ace. Back came a heart, won by the queen, as he noted the fall of West’s 10. Squeeze and endplay possibilities were complicated at this point, so he ran the J to East’s queen, then won the 9 return with the jack. He next led the 9 (covered) to the queen and cashed the K as East pitched a club, marking East with 1=5=2=5 distribution. Pavlicek then crossed to his A as East pitched another club to reach the following ending:

NT win 3/5	8		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		9. S	A	5	5	8
	5		10. S	7	9	8	K
	A 10 6		11. E	4	3	8	6
K 9		—		East is endplayed
—		K 8 4
8		—
9 5		K 8
	6 3
	A 7 3
	—
South leads	—

Pavlicek next won the A, East unblocking the eight, and exited with the 7. East could win two heart tricks but was forced to give dummy the last two tricks in clubs. Making 3 NT. Note the importance of leading the heart seven. If declarer exits with the 3, East could win with the king, then put South back in hand with the 7, and West would get the last two tricks.

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© 1973 Sue Emery