TIP OF THE MONTH

Keep Equal Length with Dummy

Andrew Robson

East made an understandable error on this month's deal. Would you?

Dealer: South. Game All.             6 5 3  A K Q 5  9 6 5  Q 9 8              10 4 2  J 9 7  A K Q 3  6 5 2          K Q J  6 4 3 2  8 7 2  7 4 3              A 9 8 7  10 8  J 10 4  A K J 10

1. Close call. The choices are:
1. Pass. 4-3-3-3 11-counts facing a weak no-trump do not usually make game an easy proposition. I reckon if you pass partner's weak no-trump with all flat 11s at duplicate pairs, you'll come out ahead - why not give it a try (and keep records).
2. 2, Stayman, in an effort to locate a four-four heart fit (but is it right to veer away from no-trumps with the barren 4-3-3-3 shape?).
3. 2NT, inviting the no-trump game.
   
2. A clear acceptance because of the fabulous intermediate cards.

West led the A, and continued with the K-Q and then the 3 - a length winner. North and South discarded spades, and East discarded the 3. West then switched to the 2. South beat East's J with the A and cashed his four club winners. East had to make two discards: first he discarded the Q, but then, holding as his last five cards the K and the 6-4-3-2 and being unwilling to part with the K, he let go the 2. This was the crucial error: though his hearts were very feeble, he needed to keep all four of them to match dummy's heart length. Declarer was now able to cash the A-K-Q and table dummy's 5 as his ninth trick. Game made.

East should have discarded the K on the fourth club, hoping West held the 10 (he did imply something in the suit when he switched to a low card). East's 6 would then have beaten dummy's 5 on the fourth round, and declarer would have been unable to make his contract.