Poor Bridge of the Week

Archive of Previous Poor Bridge

Why Can People Not Play Cards?

By Adam Dickinson & Phil Smith

There are various levels of contracts that should make. Cold contracts are ones that have to make on any sensible declarer line. Ice cold contracts are like cold ones, except pretty much any line short of insisting to under-ruff will bring the contract home. Then there are contracts that are cold as the cards – all the declarer has to do is play a sensible line and the contract falls into place. This hand is of the third variety.

Imagine you are faced with this hand:

K Q 10

K J x

A 10 9 8 7

x x

A 9 x x

A Q x

Q J x

A Q 10

And you’re in 6NT
You have 8 tricks on top (3 spades, 3 Hearts, 1 Diamond, 1 Club). If you don’t get a club lead then:
If the diamond finesse works you have another 4 tricks for 12, and
If the diamond finesse fails you can make the 12th trick if the spades break 3-3, and failing that the club finesse is also available.

If we tell you that the lead is usually a heart, and the spades do indeed lie 3-3 then ANYONE would be happy to play in 6NT. Michael E. however managed to go 2 off! And another declarer found a line for 1 off. (Due to our “beginners aren’t allowed to feature in PBotW” policy, I can’t say who).

Here’s how he managed it: (East/West are Jonathan and Adam)
He won the heart lead, cashed 3 rounds of spades and crossed to the

A before cashing his long spade. Then he cashed the K, Q of hearts setting up Jonathan's

x. He played a low club and won the A, then finessed the diamond losing to the K.

Hmmm.
Now the diamond finesse, which fails. East cashes his good heart which induces a diamond discard from declarer. (lol). OK, so if east returns a club the contract is –2 anyway , but Jonathon doesn’t know that (why pitch a diamond?) so exits with a diamond. West wins the last club for two off.

Why can people not play cards?

We don’t know, but one things for sure: Poor Bridge Of The Week is in the debt of these great people!