Salt Lake Telegram | 1952-01-31 | Page 15 | Better Bridge

BETTER BRIDGE M By C. C H. H Goren Both vulnerable South deals North NorthA orth A Y 0 J 10 2 West est East cast i ft If Q 7 5 3 A J 8 Y 5 2 V 10 9 73 K 10 6 A South SouthA A A 10 4 0 A t K Q G 3 The bidding bidding- South West North East 1 INT NT Pass 3 NT Pass Pass Pass Opening lend lead Five of oC spades It may have been greed which induced declarer to try for an extra trick in the spade suit but butmore butmore butmore more likely it was just failure to take time out for a mental projection projection pro pro- projection of the play which would have ha disclosed that declarer had eJ entry try problems to contend withAs with I As a result of his impulsive play to trick one South was subjected to one of the most frustrating experiences at the card table table table- possession of nine tricks at a three no trump contract combined combined combined com com- with the inability to cash them The five of spades was opened and md on the chance that West Vest had led from a holding containing both the queen and jack declarer let it run to his hand in an effort to score an extra trick with the I 10 The attempt to garner an additional 30 points proved costly costly costly cost cost- ly as will be seen in a moment East played the jack and declarer declarer de de- won with the ace Unwilling Unwilling Unwilling ing to rely on the rather poor chance that hearts would break 33 3 so that he might eventually overtake his jack of hearts with the king declarer cashed the ace queen jack of that suit He then led a low club to dummy and the 10 held the trick Declarer cashed the king of hearts and continued with the clubs but West Vest held up till the third round Vest West then led a diamond diamond diamond dia dia- mond permitting East to come through South's 10 of spades and there was no way for declarer to score more than eight tricks A proper survey at trick one makes it clear that in m order to assure the cashing of his nine tricks the king must be played from dummy at once Declarer then cashes his three high hearts and leads a low club Dummy's holding provides a certain entry to permit the cashing of the king of hearts If the defense holds up with the ace of clubs South retains the ace of spades for entry to cash the fourth club for trick number nine