xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> Mountnessing Bridge Club Featured Hand

Mountnessing Bridge Club

 

An opening lead problem...

 

 

Hand played on 

Swiss Pairs, Jersey Festival, 2009 

Board number

14

Dealer

East

Vulnerability

Love All

Submitted by

Peter Williamson

 

 

North

♠ AKQJ842

♥ void

♦ 8754

♣ 63

 

 

 

West

♠ void

♥ QJ875432

♦ void

♣ KQJ54

 

East

♠ T

♥ AKT96

♦ AT932

♣ 72

 

 

 

 

 

North

 

 

Bidding: 

 

East

 

 

 

 

South

 

 

 

 

West

 

South

♠ 97653

♥ void

♦ KQJ6

♣ AT98

 

 

 

6♠

End

 

 

 

1♥

No

 

x

No

6♥

7♥

 

 

My grateful thanks to Peter for submitting this bizarre hand from the Jersey Congress.  At the table, 7♥ failed by one trick - losing the obvious club trick - and that result gave East / West a 58% score on the board.

 

Interest on this board turns to the 'what if' situation - what if East / West elected to defend 6♠ rather than push on to 7♥?  Looking at all four hands the line is obvious.  From North's perspective, he faces an unavoidable loser in both minor suits - unless, of course, East concedes a ruff and discard at trick one by trying a top heart...  Go on, be honest, if you had been on lead against 6♠, what would you have led against 6♠?  Would you be open to the possibility that partner held eight hearts?