Bridge
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It all looked so easy for declarer in Four Hearts on this deal. What could go wrong? He soon found out, although it was true to say that the adverse distruibution was a little unkind.
North opened One No-trump (12-14 points) and South bid a direct Four Hearts to end matters. He might have transferred to hearts by bidding Two Diamonds and so put his partner at the helm, but perhaps he preferred his declarer play to his partner's. At any rate, his bid was hardly unreasonable.
West led 410 against Four Hearts and declarer won on the table. A heart to the ace revealed the 3-0 trump break - apparently a minor pin-prick - but when the diamond finesse failed and East shrewdly returned !Q, South was in trouble. If he ruffed a diamond on the table, he would lose a trump trick. Perhaps #J would come down in three? No joy, and declarer ended by losing a club and three tricks in diamonds no matter down he played.
There were two alternative possibilities. A spade ruff at trick two would have allowed declarer to take an immediate diamond finesse (and now two diamond ruffs on the table would have restricted his losers to three at most).
On the other hand, he could simply have played #A and #Q, and probably this play would have been the safer line. Now only a relatively unlikely adverse distribution would have led to failure.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments