Stepping Stones Are Valuable

//Stepping Stones Are Valuable

L. Cheetham (Cheesy) found a neat way to score his seventh trick even though he had no direct way back to his hand. He enlisted the help of his LHO who provided a stepping stone.

Dlr: South   Vul:None  IMPs Â

North
S A 10 6 5
H 8 6
D A Q 10 6 2
C 9 7
West
S Q 9
H A J 5 3 2
D J 9 3
C A Q 6
East
S 7 2
H Q 10
D K 8 7 5 4
C K J 4 3
South
S K J 8 4 3
H K 9 7 4
D —
C 10 8 5 2

 

WestNorthEastSouth
pass
1Hpass1NTall pass

The opening spade enabled the defense to take the first five tricks, and South switched to a club. After winning in his hand, Cheesy passed the H10 successfully, continued with the queen, covered and won with the ace, and cashed the HJ. When he took dummy’s CA and CQ, North showed out, so declarer couldn’t afford to overtake. But he had the count – he knew South had a heart and a club left. So he led a heart and South had to give Cheesy his seventh trick with the good club. That was worth 4 IMPs.


The next deal was submitted by David Woulds. He watched his partner make a neat deceptive play by going after his worst suit.

Dlr: West  Vul: None   IMPs Â

North
S 7 6 5
H 9 6 3
D Q 4 3
C J 10 8 4
West
S J 10 3
H A Q 10 2
D 7 6
C Q 6 5 2
East
S Q 4 2
H K 7 5 4
D 10 8 2
C K 9 7
South
S A K 9 8
H J 8
D A K J 9 5
C A 3

 

WestNorthEastSouth
passpasspass2NT
pass3NTall pass

After winning the passive diamond lead in hand, declarer entered dummy with the DQ to lead a heart up to his jack. West won and switched to a spade. Declarer ducked so West continued the suit. When spades broke declarer had his ninth trick.

But both defenders felt they had to protect hearts and so they discarded clubs. When declarer cashed the CA at trick 11, both the queen and the king fell to the table, so declarer cashed dummy’s last two clubs and wound up with 11 tricks and 11.13 IMPs.

About the Author:

Harold Schogger has just celebrated 40 years of bridge teaching. He opened his bridge club in Hendon London in 1983. Since 1997 he has devoted his time to teaching and directing.He holds the Professional Teachers’ Diploma from the English Bridge Union, and now trains teachers for the EBU. He is also a member of the International Bridge Press Association. Harold is the author of Practice Your Rule of 11 and the ebook Bridge for Winners.Harold has been an OKbridge member since 1997. You can see his valuable blog posts here under the category Bridge Hand Review. Harold is also a Premier Life Master.

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