BETTER RUBBER BRIDGE

Tip and Treat

David Gold

When Geoffrey Breskal, former proprietor of St. John's Wood Bridge Club, London, comes up to you saying: 'I have a nice hand to show you,' you know you're in for a treat. He's been at the top of the game for over fifty years.

Take a look at this hand he played in the £15 a hundred game:

Dealer: West. N/S Vul.             A 3 2  A Q 2  - A Q J 8 7 6 4              J 10 8  K 3  A J 10 7 6 4  K 2          K Q 9 4  8 7  K 9 8 5 3  10 5              7 6 5  J 10 9 6 5 4  Q 2  9 3

West	North	East	South
1	2	3	Pass
Pass	Dbl	Pass	4
End

After West dealt and opened 1, Geoffrey became declarer in 4. His 4 bid is a good example of how to do well when playing for money.

West led the J which Geoffrey decided to duck, East signaling heavily with the 9. West continued with the 10 which Geoffrey won with the ace. With both the K and the K onside, the contract looks easy, but how to get to hand to take advantage? For example, playing the A followed by the Q does not work because West can win with the K, cash a spade and force dummy with a diamond leaving declarer stranded in dummy unable to take the club finesse.

Geoffrey found the only solution. He immediately played the Q from dummy! Now when West won the trick with the K and the defence cashed a spade and forced dummy with a diamond, declarer could ruff with the A, draw the last trumps ending in hand, and pick up the club suit via a first-round finesse.

Now to a slightly different environment. The following deal occurred in the $1 a hundred room in my new online bridge club, bridge4money.com:

Dealer: North. N/S Vul.             A K Q J 4  A K Q J 7 9 4 3             -  10 9 5 4 2  K Q J 7 3 2  Q 4         8 7 5 2  8 6 8 5 K 9 8 7 2             10 9 6 3  3  A 10 6  A J 10 6 5

West	North	East	South
	2	Pass	2
5	5	Pass	6NT
End

South was one of our top young players, Simon Cope. He arrived in the inferior contract of 6NT after West had taken away a lot of bidding space with his bold 5 bid. (6 would have been easy but then there would be no story to tell!).

West led the K. If the hearts break 4-3, there are twelve top tricks but Simon did not rely on such luck. He ducked the first diamond to tighten the position in case he needed a squeeze. When West continued with the Q he won the A. Now he began to cash the spades. On the first four rounds West could let go the 2, 3 and 7, and the 4 leaving this position:

4  A K Q J 7  -  3              -  10 9 5 4 2  J  Q          -  8 6  - K 9 8 7 2              -  3  10  A J 10 6 5

When the sx4 was led from dummy, East discarded the 2, declarer threw the 5, and poor West was in trouble. He couldn't throw a heart as dummy's hearts would run for five tricks. He couldn't throw the J as South's 10 would be a winner. He took his best chance, discarding the Q, but declarer simply cashed his four top hearts and finessed the J to land his slam. He took five spade tricks, four heart tricks, one diamond trick, and thanks to the squeeze, two club tricks.