The Guessing Game 10
This second board at X-Clubs is even more basic than the first, yet few Wests, as declarers in 4S, managed to arrive at eleven tricks. This should have been a near universal 4S contract for EW, and competent declarer play should have resulted in eleven tricks. But no, even when North made the very favourable opening lead of the diamond seven.
Board 5 from Tuesday 3/06/2025
Dealer N NS Vul
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92
T76532
72
T75The declarers who failed to take advantage of a very favourable and not unexpected lie of the cards just did not think the play out.
What is declarer’s greatest weapon? Clearly it is dummmy’s club suit. The opening lead of a diamond looks like a doubleotn, so trying to ruff diamonds in dummy should be out of the question, if it was ever ‘in’. There is only one sure entry to dummy and declarer must hope it is enough. That entry is the third trump, the king. Declarer should immediately play on clubs, starting with the king and continuing with another if need be. Then, whatever the defence does, declarer can play three round of trumps, ending with the king in dummmy, and make use of FOUR tricks from clubs in dummy. Recognising your source of tricks and ensuring that you can reach that source is all that should be needed.
Usually, the first thing the bridge teacher tells you, is “Draw trumps”. That is the worst thing anyone can teach. My personal instruction to learners is: “Do NOT draw trumps” and continue by saying “until you are sure that is the best thing to do”. In this deal it is clearly NOT the best thing to do before you do what else is necessary. And before I hear the argument that the defence might get a club ruff, that is a) unlikely and b) going to cost one trick and still gain at least three. Not to mention what opponents are likely to do if you lay down the king of clubs at trick two.
