Asian Game_ Supermixed Semi-Final_ Hongkong, China vs Chinese Taipei: A perfect contract with a terrible play
This deal happened in the first segment of Asia Games Semi-Finals, Hongkong, China vs Chinese Taipei.
Board 11
Dealer: South
Vul: None
East West
F. Wong C. Koo
1♠ 1NT
2♡ 2NT
3♡ 4♠
AP
Lead: ♣K
No one could know 4♡ or 4♠, which one is better before playing. Let's see some tricks in the open room first.
Trick North East South West
1 ♣K ♣5 ♣2 ♣6
2 ♣3 ♣J ♣A ♠6
3 ♠2 ♠3 ♠5 ♠J
And now how to play?
Analyzing the leading, North should be doubleton ♣ with K. That's a quite strange leading. Why don't he lead ♢. There's only one reason that he hold both minor suit K. If I were the declarer, I would continue to drawing the trumps. If ♠ was 1-4, only North could hold 4 cards ♠.
1. Assuming that South won with the next trump which showed ♠ was under normal distribution and South couldn't have any red suit K(otherwise he would open), whatever he returned, the contract was home as long as ♡ was under normal distribution.
(a) If he returned ♣, ruffing, then drawing all trumps, finesse ♡K through North or cross to table's ♡K and discard ♢Q on ♣Q are both ok.
(b) If he returned ♢, winning with the ♢A, drawing all trumps, cross to table's ♡K and discard ♢Q on ♣Q, then knock out ♡K and the last trump would be the entry to cash all the ♡.
2. Assuming that North won with the next trump and ♠ was 3-2, it was easier than situation 1. Do not discuss here.
3. The toughest situation was North hold 4 cards ♠. If he won with the ♠A on the next trick and shifted to ♡, I would cry South won with the ♡K and returned a ♣. If so, 4♡ would be one down, either. So it wasn't a bad news. So I could finesse breezily. If succeed, then drawing all the trumps and everything was fine.
All in all, drawing trumps is the best choice, North won, couldn't force or attack ♢, South won, showed ♠ was 3-2.
However, the live play is quite fun.
The full deal
Board 11
Dealer: South
Vul: None
Trick North East South West
1 ♣K ♣5 ♣2 ♣6
2 ♣3 ♣J ♣A ♠6
3 ♠2 ♠3 ♠5 ♠J
4 ♡5 ♡J ♡7 ♡3
5 ♠8 ♠4 ♢5 ♠T
6 ♡T ♡A ♡9 ♡2
On the fifth trick, the declarer gave a chance for North to avoid being thrown in. North won with the ♠A and returned ♠ which was blocked between table and hand. West couldn't draw all the trumps, couldn't cash ♣Q, she cashed ♡A and gave small ♡ out and now ♠9 was the free cards for North to throw out. After a long period, North still ducked which led him to be thrown in the final-play. And now all cards were clear, just like double-dummy. Continuing to draw trumps, 11 IMPs would be written on Hongkong, China. Unfortunately, West didn't seize the opportunity. In another table, Chinese Taipei chose 4♡ as the contract. One down quickly by leading singleton ♠. It was lucky to Hongkong, China that a terrible play was saved by the opponent's wrong contract.
Board 11
Dealer: South
Vul: None
East West
1♠ 1NT
2♡ 2NT
3♡ 4♠
AP
Lead: ♣K
No one could know 4♡ or 4♠, which one is better before playing. Let's see some tricks in the open room first.
Trick North East South West
1 ♣K ♣5 ♣2 ♣6
2 ♣3 ♣J ♣A ♠6
3 ♠2 ♠3 ♠5 ♠J
And now how to play?
Analyzing the leading, North should be doubleton ♣ with K. That's a quite strange leading. Why don't he lead ♢. There's only one reason that he hold both minor suit K. If I were the declarer, I would continue to drawing the trumps. If ♠ was 1-4, only North could hold 4 cards ♠.
1. Assuming that South won with the next trump which showed ♠ was under normal distribution and South couldn't have any red suit K(otherwise he would open), whatever he returned, the contract was home as long as ♡ was under normal distribution.
(a) If he returned ♣, ruffing, then drawing all trumps, finesse ♡K through North or cross to table's ♡K and discard ♢Q on ♣Q are both ok.
(b) If he returned ♢, winning with the ♢A, drawing all trumps, cross to table's ♡K and discard ♢Q on ♣Q, then knock out ♡K and the last trump would be the entry to cash all the ♡.
2. Assuming that North won with the next trump and ♠ was 3-2, it was easier than situation 1. Do not discuss here.
3. The toughest situation was North hold 4 cards ♠. If he won with the ♠A on the next trick and shifted to ♡, I would cry South won with the ♡K and returned a ♣. If so, 4♡ would be one down, either. So it wasn't a bad news. So I could finesse breezily. If succeed, then drawing all the trumps and everything was fine.
All in all, drawing trumps is the best choice, North won, couldn't force or attack ♢, South won, showed ♠ was 3-2.
However, the live play is quite fun.
The full deal
Board 11
Dealer: South
Vul: None
Trick North East South West
1 ♣K ♣5 ♣2 ♣6
2 ♣3 ♣J ♣A ♠6
3 ♠2 ♠3 ♠5 ♠J
4 ♡5 ♡J ♡7 ♡3
5 ♠8 ♠4 ♢5 ♠T
6 ♡T ♡A ♡9 ♡2
On the fifth trick, the declarer gave a chance for North to avoid being thrown in. North won with the ♠A and returned ♠ which was blocked between table and hand. West couldn't draw all the trumps, couldn't cash ♣Q, she cashed ♡A and gave small ♡ out and now ♠9 was the free cards for North to throw out. After a long period, North still ducked which led him to be thrown in the final-play. And now all cards were clear, just like double-dummy. Continuing to draw trumps, 11 IMPs would be written on Hongkong, China. Unfortunately, West didn't seize the opportunity. In another table, Chinese Taipei chose 4♡ as the contract. One down quickly by leading singleton ♠. It was lucky to Hongkong, China that a terrible play was saved by the opponent's wrong contract.
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