Independent Pursuits: Bridge
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Your support makes all the difference.IT IS odd how a poor choice of opening lead can have a domino effect. This deal struck me as an excellent example (or, as I was defending, a very irritating example). South, playing the odd mixture of a weak no- trump and five card majors, opened One Club and North responded One Diamond. South's rebid of 1 No-trumps showed 15-17 points and he went on to game when North raised to Two.
West, on lead against 3 No-trumps, judged that South might well hold a four-card heart suit and selected a nondescript #V for his opening salvo. (Even my grandmother would have led !K - if it seems to be working badly, there will be plenty of time for a switch.) Declarer played low from dummy and, after winning with #Q, I returned a low heart. South ducked this but won the heart continuation and ran #J to my king. West won the next heart lead and exited safely with another diamond.
After winning on the table and discarding a spade from hand, South came back with 2A and finessed 2J successfully. Next came 2K but the suit did not behave. On this, however, I had to part with a spade, but now dummy's last diamond finished me. Discarding in front of declarer, I had the choice of unguarding the hearts or releasing another spade. I chose the spade but it did not matter - South's losing heart went away and now 410 provided the ninth trick.
The cumulative effect of the lead - our hearts became blocked, one of my entries was taken away, and in an unforeseen fashion - so the defenders had organised the perfect timing for a squeeze. And if West had guarded the spades? No matter, for he has to keep his 2Q and would also have had to come down to only two spades.
Love all; dealer South
North
48 5 3
!5 3
#A 10 8 6
2K J 7 3
West East
4Q 9 4J 7 4 2
!K Q J !10 7 6 2
#7 4 3 2 #K Q 9
2Q 9 8 4 210 2
South
4A K 10 6
!A 9 8 4
#J 5
2A 6 5
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