Post Mortem Decision
Playing in the Mixed Pairs, I have a bidding decision
and a post-mortem decision. At unfavorable vulnerability,
I deal myself
843 J42 K763 Q76
The bidding proceeds
Me | LHO | Partner | RHO |
Pass | 2 | 3 | 3 |
? | | | |
It seems to me that if partner can make 4,
she would have either doubled or bid it herself,
so I make a mildly conservative pass. We don't
find the optimum defense, but beat 3 one
trick.
As we get up from the table, partner asks if we
can make 4. I answer quickly, "I don't
think so," so she is pleased with our result.
She gets me thinking about the hand, and after
a few more seconds I recant. The whole hand was
| 843 J42 K763 Q76 | |
K5 93 Q985 AJ1084 | |
AQJ972 Q6 J42 95 |
|
106 AK10875 A10 K32 | |
The normal defense is to start with three rounds of
spades. If declarer ruffs with the 10 and
runs all the trumps but one, this position develops:
| K763 Q7 | |
Q985 AJ10 | |
9 J42 95 |
|
5 A10 K32 | |
West has not yet discarded on the penultimate trump.
If he discards a diamond, declarer ruffs the diamonds
good and can get to dummy with the Q. If West
pitches a club, declarer can lead to the Q and
duck to the now stiff ace. Trump squeezes without the
count are not exactly common occurrances, but I have
to admit to partner that it might be possible to make
4 on the hand...unless East shifts to a club
instead of playing the third spade. Then she could
not make it.
Copyright © 2004 Jeff Goldsmith