Mark Horton
Nightmare
After a demanding day’s play, it is not uncommon for a player to find it difficult to relax. Having survived a tense Reisinger Board-a-Match Teams session, making it to the final by just half a board, I am finally about to enter into the arms of Morpheus when the following hand flashes into my mind (I am dealer at game all):
♠ K J 7 6 4
♥ A Q 4 3
♦ 4
♣ J 7 6
Despite the lack of high cards, I have no qualms in opening 1♠, but any hopes of a straightforward auction are immediately dispelled when West overcalls 3♦. I daresay that is a weak bid in the modern style, but whatever it means my partner appears not to have noticed it as he attempts to respond 1NT. When East declines to accept 1NT, partner removes the offending card and replaces it with a jump to 4♠, which East doubles.
West leads the ♦K and partner puts down the following:
♠ Q 9 5 2
♥ 10 8 5
♦ 6 3
♣ A Q 5 2
My hand again:
♠ K J 7 6 4
♥ A Q 4 3
♦ 4
♣ J 7 6
I am not sure I’m going to enjoy this. No doubt East has all the missing trumps, and if the ♥K and ♣K are the wrong way round, things will be very awkward.
East overtakes the ♦K with the ace and continues with the ♦10. I ruff and play a spade to the queen, West discarding a diamond. East takes the ♠A and switches to the ♥2. He would do that whatever his holding in the suit, but hoping that he may have started with ♥K J x x, I play low. West wins with the jack. He returns the ♥9, is covered by the 10, king and ace.
From the play in diamonds, I think the suit is divided 8–2. If West’s shape is 0–3–8–2 and he has the ♣K, I am going to make this!
I cash the ♥Q, but West dashes my hopes by discarding a diamond. I ruff my last heart and play the ♠9. East covers with the 10 and I win with the jack. A club to the queen holds so I pick up East’s trumps and lose one more trick (the ♣K), leaving me one down. The full deal:
| ♠ Q 9 5 2 | ||
| ♥ 10 8 5 | ||
| ♦ 6 3 | ||
| ♠ — | ♣ A Q 5 2 | ♠ A 10 8 3 |
| ♥ J 9 | ♥ K 7 6 2 | |
| ♦ K Q J 9 8 7 5 2 | ♦ A 10 | |
| ♣ K 9 3 | ♠ K J 7 6 4 | ♣ 10 8 4 |
| ♥ A Q 4 3 | ||
| ♦ 4 | ||
| ♣ J 7 6 |
Post Mortem
Minus 200 was a win against East-West’s notrump game, but I missed an opportunity. After ruffing the second diamond, say I take the club finesse, followed by the heart finesse. Then
I cash the ♥A, cross to the ♣A and exits with a club to West. The forced diamond return allows me to discard dummy’s losing heart while getting a complete count on the deal. I then ruff a heart and can play dummy’s good club or a low spade, confidently inserting the 7 if East plays low. I lose a diamond, a club and a spade for plus 790.