Hand of the week commencing Sunday 10th December 2006
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ª |
A Q J 5 4
2
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Dealer
South |
© |
K
J 4 |
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North
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¨ |
7
2 |
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§ |
A
J |
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N |
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ª |
10
3
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ª |
K
9 8 7 |
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© |
Q
7 5 2 |
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W
E |
© |
9
6 |
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¨ |
10
8 5 |
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¨ |
A
K J 4 3 |
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§ |
9
8 7 2 |
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§ |
10
6 |
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S |
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ª |
6
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© |
A
10 8 3 |
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¨ |
Q
9 6 |
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§ |
K
Q 5 4 3 |
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W |
N |
E |
S |
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NO |
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NO |
1ª |
NO |
2§ |
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NO |
3ª |
NO |
3NT |
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NO |
NO |
NO |
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The
opponents lead a Diamond and after winning first trick with the Ace , East plays
back a small one, your Diamond
Queen, fortunately wins the second trick.
Playing
Imps plan the play
The opponents have got off to their best lead but you got lucky when miracle of miracles your Queen held the second trick.
When
you play Teams or IMPs your main aim
should be to make your contract and not to go for needless overtricks. When this
hand was played against me all the finesse positions on the hand the AQJ of
Spades and the A10 and KJ of Hearts were like a red rag to a bull for declarer.
Declarer immediately took the Spade finesse (After all it was his longest suit
“the suit with future” and after taking his King, West was only too happy to
cash winning Diamonds and defeat the contract by one trick, 4 Diamonds and 1
club.
However,
if only declarer had counted his winners at the start of the hand he would see
that initially there is a tally of 8 winners :-1 spade (ace only), 2 Hearts (Ace
King) 1 Diamond (the Queen Held) and 4 Clubs (AKQand J). If the clubs are now
worse than 41 then your 9th trick can be obtained from the clubs
rather than take a 50% losing Spade finesse. Please don’t be a bull, try
counting your winners first.