Jim Croce had a song called "The hard way every time". It came to mind after this hand:
KQ73
A982
K62
43
Matchpoints. Opponents are vul, you are not, partner deals and opens 1
. The auction gets competitive:
Pard Me
1
1
X 2
P 3
3NT P
P P
Notes: My X was negative, the 2
on my left was natural and non-forcing, my 3NT was to play.
LHO, the
bidder, has
QJT743. This gives him a problem that appears in textbooks but not so often in play. He led the
Q for which (quietly, to myself) I thanked him.
The hands:
J862
5
AQT
AQ862
void
AT954
QJT743
K6
73
J9854
KJ975
T
KQ73
A982
K62
43
You can see the problem caused by the opening lead of the
Q from W.. What is E to do? No doubt he should play the K, hoping partner has at least QJT8xx but W doesn't have the 8. If E plays the K, I duck, and assuming E then returns the
spot, I play the 9. W can take his T but now I hold the A8 and W holds Jxxx. He can't continue, and I can bring ion the contract. Textbooks suggest a low lead at T1 from holdings such as W has when declarer is known to hold four cards. Maybe so. It would work here but I can say from experience it doesn't always.
Well, anyway, E played the 6, rather than the K. Surely E did not start with Kxx, else he would have stayed in hearts. Probably he should have stayed in hearts with K6, but he didn't. So, after the play of the 6, I trusted that the suit was blocked, and I took the A.
I still need to find 9 tricks. Where are they? Just go to the board in
and lead the
8. Let it ride if not covered, if it is covered take the Q return to the board and lead a small
toward the K7x. This produces three spade tricks and, when the
finesse works, there are at least 9 tricks. Following the Jim Croce path, I found a harder way:
to the Q,
to my K,
to the A,
to my Q. cash two more
ending in hand, small
to the K, E is in with only diamonds and spades in this hand. He, takes two
and is then forced to lead a
giving me a third trick in that suit. 3+1+3+2=9. .
Ok, it worked but!
Spot card can be useful. Spot cards can be useful. Spot cards can be useful.
If I had done this right I think there were some real possibilities for ten tricks once E blocks the
suit. Of course we also could also have seriously punished 3
by doubling but 3NT seemed right at the time.
For you youngsters out there here is a link to Croce
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47g1jS7G8OQThere really is something to be said for W leading a small
at T1 but if it goes wrong don't send me the bill.
