Always look for a better answer

Royal Gazette Staff

Created: Dec 23, 2005 10:00 AM

REMEMBER — there’s no game on Boxing Day night!This week’s hand is a great example of what one needs to be a good declarer at bridge — look for a better answer on each hand. And then look again far an even letter one! The hand comes from Peter Donovan of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper.North<$>

[spade]K 7

[heart]8 7 5 2

[diamond]K 9 8

[club]K 9 8 3

South

[spade]A Q J 5

[heart]6

[diamond]A Q J 10 4

[club]A J 5After South opened a diamond North—South got to the excellent diamond slam. West leads the king of hearts and then continues with the queen — how do you plan the play?

Well done! You’ve spotted the dummy reversal — nine out of ten! Why not full marks? Well, the dummy reversal fails on a 4-1 trump split so you should look for another chance first.

Cash the ace-king of clubs. If the queen falls your troubles are over — draw trumps and claim.

If it doesn’t now ruff a heart, cross to a low trump, ruff another heart, cross to the spade, ruff the last heart high, cross to the king of diamonds and draw the last trump. Now cash your spades and claim! You have made three trumps, three heart ruffs, two clubs, and four spades — 12 tricks! Don’t feel bad if you went straight to the dummy reversal as that at least stayed away from the club finesse. If you cashed clubs first — 10 out 10!

Happy holidays to all of you and I hope the long absence from bridge is bearable!

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Always look for a better answer