Series - The Mistakes I make in Bridge

This hand is typical for players like me, who are advanced, but not on an expert level. Against 3NT by North, the lead was a small ♥. This helps, and you have 7 tricks immediately from the top. One more is very likely in ♦ using the double finesse. So I did that after the continuation in ♥. The 10 was covered with the Jack, the Queen and the King. I have now 8 tricks.

The problem was that I simply gave up at that point, exited in diamonds after cashing the two spade, and looking at E/W cashing 5 tricks. You definitely need to stop and think. Maybe you can make the contract even if the hand is not that favorable.

You simply need to imagine the situation below. When you cash the spades in the situation below, East must keep his two hearts to get three more tricks. Of course, he must keep all three diamonds. So, his best choice is to discard one heart and one club. At that point, guessing is required to imagine the Acce of clubs blank at East.

On the other table, the player cashed the spades immediately seeing East parting with two diamonds.

Kommentare

Kommentar veröffentlichen

Beliebte Posts aus diesem Blog

Series - The Mistakes I make at Brige

Bild
This is a nice one. You reach 4 ♥ , and West starts with the ♠8. If the trump finesse fails, you count 10 likely tricks, including one ruff of a spade at the table. But then there is also the chance to cash the ♣K for an overtrick. Easy. You are glad to combine all these options, and start a simple plan.  Cash the lead and make the finesse in hearts which fails. Another spade comes from West. When you notice that you are going to lose two trump tricks, you collect your tricks, ruffing one spade at the table at the end, and set all hopes to the club finesse which fails. One down. Everybody played like that, including me. You certainly spotted the way to make the contract? Of course. You could leave West with two trumps and throw him in after you trumped your space and cashed your  ♦ Q. Is this difficult to see at the table. Maybe. But you will definitely see West's 4 spades and hearts. When he discards the  ♦ J on  ♦ Q, the coup is very likely to work.
Mehr anzeigen

Series - The Mistakes I make at Bridge

Bild
2NT are not makeable, but if you go down only once, you are good against 2♠ by opponents. 2 ♥  would be a nice contract and just make with good play, but opponents won't let you play that easily nowadays, not even the robot Lia. The lead was ♠5, East following with the ♠Q and won in the hand. Due to severe communication issues this hand cries for a try to let the opponents play into the finesses. So, I correctly played the  ♥ A followed by a small one won by West, who cashed  ♥ K too, the followed with the ♠10  because everything else helps the declarer even more. At that point, I went for the clubs, but the diamonds actually work, playing for one honor doubleton at East. Check it out.
Mehr anzeigen

Series - The Mistakes I make in Bridge

Bild
This bidding got me stranded in 2♠ because of Acol. That's actually not bad. You cannot make it against good leads. But neither can you make 1NT, the contract you might reach by downgrading the hand to a weak 1NT. On almost all other tables, the bidding started with a strong 1NT and continued to a good heart contract for E/W by the bidding below. In that case, the "blocking" value of 1NT fails, and the direct mentioning of a spade suit works out to be superior.   But I spoiled that advantage by going down twice. Actually, I could have made the contract after the lead of ♣K. It is always tough to play 1 4-3 fit, and this is no exception. I started with a heart won by East who followed with a trump to prevent ruffs. I now can ruff only one heart at the table. The best line of play is to drive out the ♣Q now. If West takes it on the first round and returns a trump, you can play clubs to dummy and continue it. If he ducks one round, you need to find the finesse in diamonds t...
Mehr anzeigen