Bridge - The Scotsman 19/10/2012

THIS deal from a league match featured a rather weak defence by North-South. Playing 5-card majors, East opened 1C. When partner bid his four-card major he raised to game, a dubious choice on a hand with no ruffing values.

David Burn once described his leading style as ‘fourth best – I mean fourth best for the defence’. North’s six of spades ran to declarer’s queen, and he took a losing diamond finesse. South beats the game easily by switching to the jack of clubs, but, not expecting partner to have king-queen, he chose a cunning six of clubs. This went to the queen and ace. Declarer played ace of spades and ruffed a spade, cashed two diamonds and led a club from dummy in this position: South, perforce, played the jack of clubs, and North missed his last chance to contribute by overtaking and giving partner a ruff. South found himself on lead with nothing but hearts. He led the threes and declarer scored the seven. He played a club, which South had to ruff, but now he could play the queen of hearts, ensuring a second trump trick for one down. Declarer missed a chance early in the play: if he had ruffed with the seven of hearts, keeping the five, he could overtake with the six of hearts and lead towards his K9, forcing South to split his honours and setting up a trump endplay. Careless!

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