A play that won plaudits for outstanding defence
I have little to report on the bridge front this week — a group from Bermuda went to the Summer Nationals in Toronto but I have had no news of any major successes — I will have them in next week’s column if I get some.
A couple of long range dates for your diaries:
• Bermuda Sectional, October 2 to 28, 2024
• Bermuda Regional, January 25 to 31, 2025
Every year the International Bridge Press Association rewards excellence by awarding prizes for Best Bid Hand of the Year, Best Declarer Play and Best Defence, along with some other categories.
This hand (see Figure 1 and the bidding in Figure 2) was nominated for Best Defence of the Year and Patryk Patreuha was in the East seat and was the defensive star.
In the other room, East-West had boosted the auction to three of spades and had been doubled there for minus 300, losing two high hearts, a heart ruff and three high trumps, so a lot of IMPs were riding on whether 3NT could be brought home.
Patreuha led the club Queen, asking for an unblock of the Jack or count, and West’s club five suggested the actual layout – it was clear that North had Jxxx in clubs. Plan the defence.
Patreuha shifted to a spade. Declarer won in hand and led a diamond toward the Ace. On this Patreuha discarded the Queen of hearts and, when declarer finessed in diamonds on the way back, he pitched the Jack of hearts!
Both plays are absolutely necessary to prevent declarer establishing hearts without letting West on lead for the killing club continuation.
If Patryk had lazily pitched spades on the diamonds, declarer could have played on hearts in a way to leave East on lead and the contract would then be unbeatable.
Yes – he could have looked stupid if North had 10x of hearts, but he who dares, wins!
• David Ezekiel can be contacted at davidezekiel999@gmail.com
BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS
Friday, July 26
1. Richard Hall-Heather Woolf
2. Tony Saunders-Patricia Siddle
3= Stephanie Kyme-Diana Diel
3= Martha Ferguson-Greta Marshall
Wednesday, July 31
1. Charles Hall-Margaret Way
2. William Pollett-Linda Pollett
3. Richard Gray-Wendy Gray
Need to
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