Analytical skill at bridge is not every one's forte. For in bridge when the dummy comes down after the defender on your left has made an opening lead, the declarer has many dark spots to enlighten. Of course he counts his losers and winners and then plans to convert his losers either into winners or to restrict them through evaporation techniques at bridge.
This becomes the true test of a declarer's mettle as to how he can muster up the required tricks for his contract in the face of the inevitable losers. Of course, at times, the defence helps by a slip in defence and declarer seizes such opportune moments to press home his advantage gained by any such slip in defence. For bridge is after all a game of tempo and timing. Once the defence falters in its timing, its tempo is lost and vice versa for the declarer too.
But there is more to timing and tempo. Safety play and visualising end play can immensely add to a declarer's armoury, as can his guile at deception and concealment of his visible losers for your see, the declarer has an added advantage of seeing 26 cards with the defenders unable to see either partners hand. This advantage is a tactical weapon that often strikes telling blows on the defenders when a good declarer throws a bait at deception and walks away with the contract as did the declarer on today's illustration.
The hand first:
The bidding:
West led the obvious QD and south paused to consider his chances.
If hearts break 2-2, there is nothing to it for 6 hearts, 2 spades, 2 clubs add to 10, and if KD is favourably placed declarer can muster up 11 tricks. With hearts breaking 3-1, declarer's losers can comprise of one spade, one heart and one diamond of ace if favourably placed.
But here, as you can see. Declarer is faced with a daunting task for the 4-0 heart break is really heart breaking for the declarer. With 3 inescapable losers-2 in hearts and the ace of diamonds, how can declarer avoid the spade loser which could be his setting trick. A closer analysis of the hand can give the declarer some hope of how he can somehow manage to organise his play with proper timing to stage an endplay for west. But for that he needs to tread on slippery soil very carefully. As in all endplays, first things first-stripping west of the club suit first. Do you foresee how he goes about it?
He cashes first the 2 top clubs after taking the return with KD. Next he cashes spade A and K before ruffing dummy's last club stripping west of the club suit. Now in the 5 card ending the following position comes out.
When a low heart is led, which west must win the crucial moment can breeze past you ending your chance of success. Yes the unblocking of 10H is vital. For now down to red cards only, west cannot touch trumps without giving up a trick while a diamond allows a ruff and sluff. Seeing declarer his a spade loser. If 10H remained unblocked in dummy, a low trump return would give back west his trump trick.
For dummy's H10 winning would block the suit. When east wins the forced spade lead from dummy and plays a club, through south, west's dead trump tricks comes alive again, sinking the contract. Therefore, it is said, all exceptionally good declarers have the foresight.
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North West East South
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K9642 Q10 J83 A75
1042 QJ86 - AK9753
87 QJ105 A9642 K3
J54 986 Q10732 AK
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North West East South
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964 - J 7
104 QJ8 - K975
- J10 96 -
- Q10 -
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West North East South
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- - - 2C
P 2D P 2H
P 3H P 4H
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