The Game Of Bridge

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 121, 24 May 1941, Page 13

The Game Of Bridge

Against some throw-in plays, there is no defence whatever, but if a defending player is alert enough to see that the declarer is preparing for a throwin play against him. he can sometimes defeat these tactics by' getting rid of the dangerous high card with which the declarer expected to throw him into the lead. The following hand illustrates the position:— § q.j.7.6. Q? A.Q.4. 4- A.Q.5. 4, 8.6.2. • * 5- 3- N^ 1 $ 9-2. 9 K.J.5. •£ £ ty 10.9.8.2. J. 10.9.3. jgj a 5.4.2. Jfa X.10.7.4. I South. I J. 9.5.3. fy A.X.10.5.4. $ 7.6.3. X.7.6. ft A.Q. . South dealer. North-South vulnerable. . North-South had reached a contract of six spades. West led the Jack of diamonds, and when dummy's hand was tabled, the slam appeared to depend on two finesses. South saw ihat there might be one way of avoiding the club finesse. If West held the King of hearts, South could strip the hand, then throw West into the lead with the King of hearts after taking the heart finesse, and thus force him into a lead that must assure the contract. Proceeding to carry out this line of play, South won the first trick, drew the opposition trumps, and then stripped the North-South hands of diamonds, winning the third diamond trick in his own hand. A small heart was then led and the Queen was successfuly finessed. The Ace of hearts followed and a third heart threw West, into the lead with the King. He had now to lead either r diamond (which would give South a ruff in dummy and a discard of the Queen of clubs) or a club straight up to Souths Ace-Queen, either of which plays gave South his small slam contract.

West could have defeated the contract by anticipating that South would try to throw him into the lead in order to avoid taking the club finesse. West knew that the heart finesse must succeed. He knew also that South, in stripping the North-South hands of diamonds, was preparing for a throwin play against him. His only chance of escaping a throw-in which would be fatal to the defence was to keep an exit card in his hand. On the first round of hearts he should play the Jack, and on the second round should drop his King on dummy's Ace. He thus escapes the throw-in. There is nothing to say that his partner holds" the ten of hearts, of course, but it is

A THROW -IN PLAY

a chance he must take, as if he does not dodge the throw-in, there is no possibility of defeating the contract. A third heart is led from dummy and East wins the trick. A small club is led through South, and the contract is defeated. With combinations such as K.J.x.. Q.J.x., Q.10.x., it is usual, when playing on defence against throw-in plays to play the middle card first, in ordei to be able to complete the unblocking play if such a course seems necessary A HAND FROM DUPLICATE PLAY. The following hand, played in a championship pairs contest, with match-point scoring, created a great deal of interest:— $ A.X.C.2. * 7.5. 9.8.6.3. Jf, A.K.B. & J. 9.7.4. ifirnh—~|4 Q-B'3- - ~ .j K.J.9.8.4.3. <f> Q.T.2. | I $ J. 10.5. $> J- 6- SouUi. jjfr 5. 4 10.5. W 2. $ A.X.4. Q.10.f1.7.4.3.2. North dealer. East-West vulnerable. North made the unorthodox opening bid of one diamond. East passed and South bid two clubs. North raised to three clubs, and the bidding closed at five clubs. West led the four of spades, and South saw that five clubs was an undefeatable contract, and one which all the other North-South pairs must make. This South player considered the possibility of making an extra trick Cor top score on the board, and planned his play to that end. East was allowed to win the first trick with the Queen of Spades. East, as the declarer hoped when ducking the spade trick, led a diamond through him, playing the Jack. South won the j trick, drew the opposition trumps, and j then led the King of diamonds. Entering dummy's hand with the King of spades, he played the Ace and discarded his remaining diamond. Hoping for a, 3-3 distribution of the adverse diamonds (his only chance of making an extra trick) he now led a third diamond from dummy, and ruffed the trick, (he two outstanding diamonds falling. Dummy's hand was re-entered with a trump, and the last diamond was led, on which South discarded his singleton heart, making twelve tricks and top score for the board, all the other Souths making eleven tricks. This line of play could not lose the contract, so that the chance of making an extra trick could be taken, and Souths brilliant play was rewarded. ■