This hand was played during team competition. The reward for bidding aggressively is substantial, so thin games are the rule rather than the exception. On the other hand, a defender can take some chances that he might otherwise not want to take at matchpoints - because overtricks are really not important.
Place your self in the East seat and decide how you want to defend after your partner leads the five of spades. The queen is played from the dummy and you win the king. Is there anyway to come to a fourth trick for the defense?
At the table, East led the jack of diamonds and the declarer found himself in a bit of a bind. He won the king in dummy and played a heart to his hand. A spade was trumped high and another low heart was led to the closed hand. South's last spade was trumped in dummy but declarer had no fast entry to his hand to pull the last trump. He tried a club. East played the ace and then played the ace of diamonds. Another diamond was covered by the queen and trumped by West for the setting trick.
If declarer decides to draw trump first, so as to avoid the diamond play, he finds himself stuck with a spade loser in the end game. After drawing trump, he plays the king of clubs. East wins and plays a top spade, trumped in dummy. Declarer can try a diamond toward the queen but East rises with the ace and cashes a top spade for down one.
Did you underlead the ace of diamonds?
Unit 125 of the American Contract Bridge League held the Silver Bowl Sectional Bridge Tournament in Solon on August 4 - 6. The following players were successful in their respective events on August 4. Additional results will be listed in future columns.
Afternoon Stratified Pairs (74 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Bernie Greenspan, Beachwood, and Paul Facinelli, Avon Lake. 2. Marjorie Baldwin, Akron, and Pat Chisholm, Macedonia. Stratum B. 1. Susan Conrad, Madison, and Endre Tary, Langen, Germany. 2. Sanford and Adrienne Ozan, Cleveland. Stratum C. 1. Conrad and Tary. 2. Lea Staaf, Rocky River, and Carol Cooperider, North Olmsted.
Women's Pairs (10 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Susan Bedall, Fairlawn, and Rebekah Clocker, Wadsworth. 2. Rusty Ellison and Cindy Sustin, Aurora. Stratum B. 1. Ellison and Sustin. 2. Cathy Weber and Judy Kaye, Chagrin Falls.
Afternoon 299er Pairs (20 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Pamela Jones, Shaker Heights, and Rhona Jacobson, Moreland Hills. 2. Marilyn Edelman, Beachwood, and Gail Kasen, Chagrin Falls. Stratum B. 1. Evelyn Charna and Paula Madvid, Chagrin Falls. 2. Ellen Miles and Sylvia Spector, Beachwood.
Scholarship Pairs (65 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Roger Tiktin, Lakewood, and Lloyd Loux, Westlake. 2. Donna Largent, Cleveland, and Kerry Davidson, North Olmsted. Stratum B. 1. Largent and Davidson. 2. Roy Larson, Wadsworth, and Sam Den, Mentor. Stratum C. 1. Larson and Den. 2. William Dickinson, Northfield, and Gary Collins, University Heights.
Evening 299er Pairs (16 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Betty Nesbit
and Judith Perman, Glenshaw, PA. 2. William and Carol Jaras,
Brecksville. Stratum B. 1. Nesbit and Perman. 2. Evelyn Charna
and Paula Madvid, Chagrin Falls. Stratum C. 1. Charna and
Madvid. 2. Edward Jasilionis, Lakewood, and Dean Lowery, Solon.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com