Bridge: Same contract, different leads

December 26, 2009 06:12 pm | Updated November 13, 2021 09:49 am IST

In an IMP match, the deal below was played in six diamonds at both the tables. The declarers received different leads however, but tackled the contract exceptionally well.

Table 1: Opening lead spade jack. Table 2: Opening lead diamond seven.

Before you read on, plan the play?

No adverse bidding. Contract: Six diamond by south

Table 1: West led spade jack.

Analysis: Declarer counted: Three tricks in spades, one in hearts, six in diamonds, and two club ruffs for a total of twelve tricks.

Play: Declarer won the first trick in dummy! and played a club. The defence shifted to a trump. Declarer won the trump switch in dummy, entered hand by spade ace and ruffed a club. Re-entering hand by a heart ruff, declarer ruffed one more club. He then cashed the spade queen to discard his last club. Declarer ruffed a heart next into his hand, drew trumps, and claimed the contract.

Table 2: West led diamond seven.

Analysis: With defenders reducing the club ruffs in dummy to just one, declarer counted: Three tricks in spades, one in hearts, six in diamonds, one club ruff, and one long heart for a total of twelve tricks.

Play: Declarer won the trump lead in dummy, cashed heart ace and ruffed a heart immediately! He then exited in a club. The defence played one more trump. Declarer won the trump again in dummy, ruffed one more heart, ruffed a club, ruffed the fourth heart high, drew trumps, and claimed the contract.

The complete hands are:

Discussion

There were many interesting points in the play of the hand:

At table 1, declarer won the opening lead in dummy! so as to preserve entry to hand for ruffing a club.

At table 2, he correctly played on hearts immediately to establish a long heart. If declarer had played a club at trick two, the contract would have failed.

Extremely well played at both the tables!

Email: >ls4bridge@gmail.com

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