Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
At Duplicate, every contract carries the same potential for a good score but, at Teams or social bridge, part-scores can sometimes seem insignificant. To retain focus is vital . . .
Bidding
Dealer: East
Love All
South’s re-double would usually suggest 17pts or more with only four clubs, priming partner to double for penalties any contract in which he holds defensive values or, with more than 4-card support, to bid on. His over-bid inhibited East-West from competing over 3C, even though to play in 3H or 3S is probably correct.
On 10♥ lead, declarer faces six potential losers: two spades, two hearts, a diamond and a club. When East takes his A♥, and switches to K♦, South wins, noting West’s play of 10♦. Fearing a diamond ruff now, declarer cashes ♥KQ and pitches a diamond from dummy. This achieved, he led a low club, West rose with A♣ and led his 6♦, which East won with Q♦. No third diamond appeared but, instead, East laid down 7♠. Declarer now knows that his contract rests on making the right choice. Correctly, he paused to collate what he knew.
East passed originally and entered the auction with a take-out double. He has produced A♥ and ♦KQ. On that basis, East cannot also hold A♠ — or he would surely have opened the bidding. South put in J♠ and, when West won with A♠, declarer had successfully negotiated all the obstacles.
Paul Mendelson’s new book, ‘The Joy of Bridge’, is out now
