The Fallible Genius- April 21, 1998

Too Tough to Read

If declarer was making a reasonable play in the diamond suit, then partner could have started with

43,

Q3,

J43 or

Q43. Personally, I think it's one of the doubleton combinations, mostly because I'm taking lefty for the six diamonds shown by her 2

rebid.

Assuming partner has a doubleton diamond, I cannot fathom partner having a stiff club. If she did, then that would give her 10 major suit cards, and she surely would have found 2 bids with that holding. Moreover, if she did have a stiff club and three original diamonds and I gave her a club ruff right away. Then she may have no good return. Potentially, she may have to lead the ace and another spade from AQxxx to get me back in to give her a second ruff. This line will net us one spade trick and three blacksuit ruffs, plus whatever red suit tricks we score. Compared with leading a spade right away to get her two spade tricks, followed by a spade ruff and a club ruff, the two lines will net the same tricks. In fact, the second line is best if partner had a doubleton club.

Vul: Us
Dlr: RHLOL

RHLOL (dummy)

J 9 3 2

K 2

K 9 2

A J 9 2

PARD

J 9 7 5 4 3

A 5

10 7 6 4

LHLOL

Accordingly, I lead the

5. Declarer rises with the

A and pulls trumps as follows. She starts by playing a diamond to the

K, partner giving the

4, and then a diamond to the

Q, partner playing the

At this point I lose it. Some hopeful thoughts on defence have turned to a smile by me, then a smirk by my partner and then we both start laughing, a bit. Now that I mention it, my opponents aren't following the joke. No matter. I have now witnessed the first player to finesse the eight of trumps missing the A8543. This has got to win the "Little Old Lady Play of the Year Award."

There is nothing much left to the play. The Q is led and partner wins the A after which she cashes the KQ. That's our fourth and final trick!

After pedantically cashing 3 more winners declarer claims her +110 at trick 11.

Further Analysis

Vul: Us Dlr: RHLOL	RHLOL (dummy) J 9 3 2 K 2 K 9 2 A J 9 2		I really really really should have bid 2 when I could have. As you can see, 9 tricks are cold in hearts. But then again, if I had bid 2, lefty would not have won her award. Righty probably should have opened her 12 count. At the very least, she should have driven to 3NT opposite her partner's opening bid. Lefty has an easy 2 rebid over 1NT. Suffice it to say that the only normal bids that our opponents had was the 1 opening bid and the final Pass. It turns out that I could have given partner a club ruff, but then she would not have got her two spades. Still -110.
PARD K Q 10 8 4 A 10 8 6 8 4 3 8		ME 5 J 9 7 5 4 3 A 5 10 7 6 4
	LHLOL A 7 6 Q Q J 10 7 6 K Q 5 3

The Fallible Genius - a chronicle by Brad Bart
April 21, 1998