Brilliant card reading

[Walddk]

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sk9754hkdaqj85c52&w=sqj6h9654dk1042cj4&e=sa83h103d763caq963&s=s102haqj872d9ck1087]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

The Yeh Bros Cup in Shenzhen, China, is followed by a practice match between China and France (women) at the same venue. BBO has been broadcasting the first three of the six segments and will continue later today (tomorrow in some places).

 

This is a deal from segment two and one of the prettiest I have seen in a long time.

 

Table 1:

Sylvie Willard opened a weak 2♥ passed to East who reopened with a double. West tried 3♦, and Bénédicte Cronier (Patapon) doubled. Down 4, 800 to France.

 

Table 2:

Zhang Yu opened 1♥ and Wang bid her spades and diamonds before South ended up in 4♥. Now Zhang needed to make it in order to limit the damage, and she can't if West leads a spade honour, a trump or a low diamond.

 

However, not unreasonably Gaviard led ♣J from the only unbid suit. This was the end of the defence. D'Ovidio won the ace (ducking won't help) and continued clubs to Zhang's 10.

 

Next came a trump to dummy, ♦A and a diamond ruff. Zhang now cashed all her trumps. This was the 5 card ending:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sk9754hkdaqj85c52&w=sqj6h9654dk1042cj4&e=sa83h103d763caq963&s=s102haqj872d9ck1087]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

♥8 squeezed East in three suits. She can't discard a club of course, and if she lets go a diamond she gets endplayed after ♣K and another. So D'Ovidio did the best she could by baring her ♠A.

 

Zhang had read the position to perfection though and ducked a spade. EW could take a diamond trick but then they had to give declarer her 10th trick. So the Chinese loss was limited to 5 IMPs.

 

Brilliant card reading. What a joy to watch!

 

Roland

[bid_em_up]

Zhang Yu opened 1♥ and Wang bid her spades and diamonds before South ended up in 4♥. Now Zhang needed to make it in order to limit the damage, and she can't if West leads a spade honour, a trump or a low diamond.

On a high spade lead, can't declarer score 6 hearts, 2 diamonds, 1 spade and 1 club for 10 tricks?

[Walddk]

Zhang Yu opened 1♥ and Wang bid her spades and diamonds before South ended up in 4♥. Now Zhang needed to make it in order to limit the damage, and she can't if West leads a spade honour, a trump or a low diamond.

On a high spade lead, can't declarer score 6 hearts, 2 diamonds, 1 spade and 1 club for 10 tricks?

Not quite. Six hearts and one club yes, but you can't get two diamonds and one spade. Either you get one in each suit or two diamonds.

 

Your best chance is to cover ♠Q. Then East must defend very well by returning a low club. You win the king and play a spade won by West's jack. West exits with ♣J and the defence can defeat you in a couple of ways.

 

1. East lets ♣J hold and West plays a spade. You can get your spade trick but you can't get two diamonds before you have promoted a trick to ♥9.

 

2. East overtakes ♣J with the queen and plays ♣A! forcing you to ruff in the dummy. Again West's ♥9 will be promoted and the defence will get four tricks before you have ten.

 

I confess that you have a good chance of making 4♥ if you cover at trick one. It takes a double dummy defence to beat you from there.

 

Roland

[bid_em_up]

never mind, i see why now.

[cnszsun]

I was kibitzing on BBO when this hand was played. I felt it was like a magic if declarer can read the end position at first, later i noticed East returned a ♣9 after winning ♣A, a suit preference for ♠. Declarer must have noticed it too, now the actual line became more logical.

Now i feel East is better to duck first ♣. During the bidding, south never mentioned her ♣ suit, so partner can't be stiff ♣.

If East ducks first ♣, declarer now really needs magic to make her contract.

Win first ♣ with K, small ♦ to Q, cash ♥K and♦A, pitching a ♠, ruff 3rd ♦ in hand, pull all trumps. At last trump, East will be squeezed, very similar to what Roland has described:

 

[hv=n=skxxhdxxc&w=sqjxhdkcx&e=saxhdcaq9&s=sxhxdc1087]399|300|[/hv]