Page 23 - ABF Newsletter February 2025

IMPROVE YOUR DEFENCE
with Ron Klinger
Solution to problem on page 2
PITCH IMPERFECT
Teams, dealer South, both vulnerable
] A 10 6 4 [K42 }43 {QJ64
]QJ853
[ 10 9 7 6 N
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1{
pass 1] 4} pass pass dbl 1 pass 4[ all pass
1. Primarily for takeout.
West led the }8. East won with the }J, followed by the }A. West discarded the {7. East switched to the {9: three - ten - queen. South finessed the [J, re- turned to the [K and played the ]4 to the ]K. Then came the }10: {8 - [4 - {5. This was now the po- sition:
] A 10 6 [— }— {J64
]QJ85 ]72
[ 10 9 [ — }— }KQ72
}8WSE {—{K
{ 10 8 7 WEST
]9
[A8 SOUTH }—
1{ {A52
pass
pass
all pass
1. Primarily for takeout.
When declarer played the {4: king - ace - [9, West’s ruff was at the cost of a natural trump trick. West switched to the ]Q. Declarer won with the ]A, ruffed a spade and drew West’s last trump with the [A. De- clarer made the last two tricks with club winners and had ten tricks in all, +620.
Had West discarded a spade at trick two, preferably an encouraging spade signal, 4[ could have been defeated. The defenders can come to a heart and a club, as well as the two diamond tricks already taken.
]QJ853 [ 10 9 7 6 }8
{ 10 8 7
] A 10 6 4 [K42 }43 {QJ64
]K9 [AJ85 } 10 9 6 {A532
]72
[Q3 }AKQJ752 {K9
West led the }8. East won with the }J and cashed the }A. West discarded the ]3, low-like. East shifted to the ]7. South won with the ]K and played the {3 to the {Q and {K. Declarer managed the rest, but that was one down, East-West +100 and +12 imps.
Had West at the other table discarded a spade on the second round of diamonds, it would have been a flat board.
NORTH EAST
1] 4} pass
dbl 1 pass
4[
West leads the }8: three - jack - six. East continues with the }A: nine from South. What would you play as West?
*****
You have a safe discard with a spade. Dummy has four spades. While it is good practice to keep length with dummy, you do not need to keep more than four spades. A club discard might not cost, but it does entail a risk.
When the deal arose in a qualifying round (at the NSW Bridge Association) for the 2024 Australian Grand National Open Teams, it turned out that a club discard was by no means safe.
At the other table: WEST NORTH
pass 1[1 pass dbl 2 pass 4{ pass 4[ pass 5{
1. 4+ spades.
2. Primarily for takeout.
EAST SOUTH 1{
3} pass pass 3[ pass 4} pass 4] all pass
Australian Bridge Federation Ltd. Newsletter: February 2025
Page: 23