When everything seems to be going well…

In partnership with Bridgerama+ magazine, Funbridge is pleased to give you free access to an article from the last issue. Enjoy! (Click here to print the article).

When everything seems to be going well…

• Dealer south-non vul.

As South, you are the dealer and you hold the following hand:

You open a natural 1♠ and when your partner shows at least four-card support and balanced 11-13HCP by way of a conventional 3NT, you sign off in 4♠:

West leads the ♠10.

• How many sure and potential winners do you see?

You have eight top tricks with six Spades and the Aces in the rounded suits, to which you can add the ruff of one of your three small Hearts with a trump from the short side.

• But how can you avoid losing four tricks?

A priori, you need one of three finesses to work: two direct ones against the Kings in the rounded suits and an indirect one against the Diamond Ace. Your chances of winning are very high(87.5%).

• How should you reason in such a case?

Even if all seems to be rather favorable, you must not be satisfied and try, if possible, to do better. You must make an assumption of fear: all is badly placed!Assume that East has both missing Kings and West the Diamond Ace and then from there, look for a winning solution.

• How can you overcome this terrible fate?

You must think of transforming the direct Club finesse against the Club King (let the Jack run or play small towards the Queen to cover the very rare case of West holding the stiff King) into an indirect finesse by playing a small Club from dummy towards the Jack.

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