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.N-S game; dealer South
North
4J 8 5 3
!Q 6 3
#J 6 2
2K 9 6
West East
410 4 4K Q 9 7
!A J 7 4 !10
#Q 7 5 3 #10 8 4
2Q 10 3 2J 8 5 4 2
South
4A 6 2
!K 9 8 5 2
#A K 9
2A 7
Suppose that you are declarer in a no-trump contract with A, K, 9 of a suit in hand and J, 6, 2 in dummy and the opening lead is the three. Do you play low from the table, or put up the jack? (There has been no opposition bidding to help you.)
On this deal, from a multiple teams event, the bidding had gone along the lines of 1! - 14 - 2NT - 3NT - all pass and, with an unattractive lead to find, a common choice by West was #3.
Some declarers tried the jack and now, with three tricks in hearts to give them their contract (ducking one round of spades if West switched when he was in). Others played low from dummy at trick one but now, with only two diamond tricks, the contract usually failed.
Was it a complete guess by those who got it right? In a sense, but only in a sense (a favourite saying of Plum Meredith). The jack is correct for, as the play went when declarer played low, West could be certain that his partner did not hold the nine, and so he had no temptation to continue the suit when he got in.
But suppose that West had led from 10, 7, 5, 3 and that the jack had been covered by the queen. Now when West gets in with a heart, he will not know who holds the critical #9, and may well judge to continue the suit instead of passively getting off lead.
A tiny point, but it always pays to make life difficult for the opponents.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments