|
BRIDGE BITES #14
|
A
COUPLE OF UPPERCUTS
Brian Gunnell |
Both Vulnerable
South West North East
1♠ Pass 2♦
4♥
4♠ Pass Pass Pass
|
|
♠ T9
♥
J
♦
AQJ32
♣ Q5432 |
|
♠ J87
♥
A
♦
98754
♣ AKT8 |
Dummy
West East
Declarer |
As West, your opening lead is the
♥A.
Then you try the ♣K on which Partner plays the Seven
and Declarer the Nine. Next, you cash the ♣A (everyone following). You’ve now
cashed your three winners, where’s the setting trick? You can be sure that
Declarer has the ♦K
to go along with his good Spades, so is giving Partner a Diamond ruff the only
chance?
►
No, it seems unlikely that
Partner is void in Diamonds. How so? Well, he can hardly have more than two
Spades (surely Declarer has at least six of that suit) … we know Partner started
with two Clubs … so a Diamond void would leave him with 2=9=0=2 distribution, in
which case he would presumably have competed to 5♥.
How about leading a Diamond anyway, hoping that
Declarer’s King is singleton? That way, Dummy’s only entry is knocked out
before trumps are drawn, and it won’t be possible for Declarer to pitch his
Heart losers on the Diamonds. Is that a good plan?
►
Actually, it’s not a bad plan at all! However,
it would mean that Declarer’s original distribution would probably be 7=3=1=2,
with good Spades and the singleton ♦K.
Perhaps with that hand South might have preempted with 3♠
or 4♠, but that’s no sure thing either.
So, if your chosen defense was to shift to a Diamond, after cashing your three
winners, then well done for a well-thought out plan, but it’s not the winner on
the actual hand.
Still looking for that fourth defensive trick?
Here’s a clue! The humble Spade Six is a vital ingredient! And the winning
defense is …
►
Yes, the winning defense is a Club
continuation. You hope that Partner can ruff with the Six, forcing Declarer to
overruff with an honor and promoting your ♠J!
|
|
♠ T9
♥
J
♦
AQJ32
♣ Q5432 |
|
|
♠ J87
♥
A
♦
98754
♣ AKT8 |
Dummy
West East
Declarer |
♠ 64
♥
KQ986532
♦
6
♣ 76 |
|
|
♠ AKQ532
♥
T74
♦
KT
♣ J9 |
|
Partner does indeed have the
Spade Six, and that is enough for the defense to promote your
♠J
into a trick! This form of trump promotion is known as an “uppercut”, and East
must ruff with the Smashing Six to deliver the knock-out blow. Ruffing with the
Feeble Four would be no more than a tickle under Declarer’s chin.
Next, imagine
that South, perhaps being in an enfeebled state, allows East to play in 4♥.
Our timid South is on opening lead and has the chance to redeem himself with the
winning defense. He cashes two Spades, then cashes the
♦K,
then leads a third round of Spades. Bingo! North ruffs with the Jack,
delivering a sock on the jaw of Declarer’s trump holding. Another uppercut!
Note that South had to cash the
♦K
before leading the third Spade, otherwise the uppercut would fail, Declarer
pitching his losing Diamond instead of overruffing.
Back to Index
|