Before I get to the hand here is an important circular relating to bridge lessons at the Club from Judy King:

If you are thinking about attending any of Patty Tucker’s three lessons (September 19 and 21), please can you sign up at the Club in the next week (or e-mail Judy King), as we need to know that we have enough interest to go ahead (looking for a minimum of 12 people for each lesson).

Having an experienced overseas bridge teacher come to Bermuda is a great opportunity that most club members should take advantage of (and it is also being subsidised by the Orbis Educational Fund — cost to members, only $10 per lesson!).

The topics below have been selected based on members’ response to the survey a while back.

Defence: (Friday, September 19, 7.30pm) — this is aimed at 0-200MP level and will be very beneficial for ALL Tuesday night players in particular. Fifty percent of the time playing is spent defending and communication between partnership, on what suit you would like your partner to lead to you, can make the difference between a top and bottom board.

Play of the Hand: (Sunday, September 21, 10am) — this is aimed at 100-500MP level, and includes some of the more complicated plays such as Endplays and Squeezes. People with less than 100MP are welcome to attend but be aware that it will probably be stretching them.

2/1 System Bidding — Part 1: (Sunday. September 21, 2pm) — this is aimed at 50-300MP level and also includes how to chose the bids to best describe your hand to get to a possible slam. People with less than 50MP are welcome to attend but again may find some of the bidding stretching.

If, at the end of the afternoon session on 2/1, there is sufficient interest to continue on (at least ten people), part two of the 2/1 will be on Sunday at 7.30pm.

Don’t forget to sign up as soon as possible to help our planning.

This week’s hand is a play not many players will see, and fewer will make the play at the table.

N/S Vul Dealer South

(Spades / Hearts / Diamonds / Clubs)

North: 963 / 754 / AJ1094 / 82

East: 752 / QJ109 / Q53 / Q96

South: Ak4 / AK62 / 62 / AKJ5

West: AK4 / AK62 / 62 / AKJ5

After three passes South opened 2NT which showed 21-23 (1NT would show 15-17, and with 18-20 South would open a minor and then jump in NT at the next opportunity). North now had an easy raise to 3NT.

West led the spade Queen and declarer ducked and won the next spade. He now played a low Diamond to the nine and East’s Queen. East returned a Spade, won by declarer, and now South held his breath and played a Diamond to the 10 … when this held he cashed the Ace and good things happened! Ten easy tricks!

Do you see where the defence went wrong? Firstly, East can refuse to win the Queen of Diamonds which on this hand kills the suit, but he would look pretty foolish if declarer had started with Kxx! Anyway, with two diamond tricks in the bag declarer can make nine tricks with the Club finesse.

No, the fault is with West! When declarer plays the first Diamond he must rise with the King! Declarer cannot win this and must hope that West started with KQx and duck this trick. After he wins the next Spade he now tries the Diamond finesse which loses to East — 3 down ! Declarer actually makes no Diamond tricks!

West’s play of the King is actually a no-lose play …..if declarer had started with Qxx or xxx there is no stopping the Diamond suit coming in so he must hope that declare started with two small — and he did!

Not at all easy I grant you, as West has to play ‘second hand high’, but this play comes up quite often.