AUCTION BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 230, 28 September 1928, Page 6

AUCTION BRIDGE.

WELL PLAYED CONTRACT HAND.

(By A. E. MANNING FOSTLR.)

Last week I left you with a problem as to liow Z was to make five Diamonds on the following hand: — S—J 2

Score love all. Z dealt and oid "Two Diamonds'' (correct at Contract but nor correct at Auction), A "No bid." Y "Three Diamonds.'' B "Three Spades." Z "Five Diamonds." A and Y "No bid," B "Double," Z "Redouble." All pass.

A opened the 9 of Spades, Z covered with dummy's Jack, B played the Queen and Z won with the King. Z now played two rounds of Diamonds, dummy winning the second round with the Jack. Now the 2 of Spades was led from dummy, B played the 5 and L won with the S. The bidding, apart from A's lead of the nine, clearly placed the 10 of Spades in B's hand. Z's r.ext play was the Ace of Spades, upon which, dummv discards the nine of Clubs!

Unguarding the King of Clubs appears at first sight suicidal, but it was the outstanding play of the hand. B's double positively placed the two missing Aces with him and by utilising this knowledge Z could make the ;ame. Z now led his 4 of Spades, which he trumped in dummy and then the King of Clubs, which scuttled the ship for B.

B was in the lead with the Ace of Clubs and Z now has him in a cleft stick. If B plays the Ace of Hearts dummy will have the King of Hearts good. If B leads either a Spade or a Club it gives Z a discard from .lis own hand and a ruff in dummv.

Seeing all four hands you may perhaps have tumbled to this line of play. But you miist remember that Z had not this knowledge to guide him. He had to make up his mind quickly at the card table and realise the position from the bidding.

As you will see all depends upon throwing away a Club from dummy on the winning Spade. This was the only method to insure the contract and game. If Z had discarded n Heart and kept two Clubs in dummy, B could have saved tie game. Because when he got in with the Club he; would return another Club. The ruffing of it by Z would not have helped, as he wou'd then have still been left with two losing Hearts.

You may amuse yourselves by submitting this little problem to your friends and seeing how many of them can solve it in a specified time, say five to ten minutes. Even with ah four hands exposed I am open to bet that very few will see the point at once.