Source:IBPAColumn Service SEP 2021Tim Bourke**Source: wikipedia:Tim Bourke “is an Australian bridge player and writer. His joint project with Justin Corfield “the Art of Declarer Play” won the International Bridge Press Book of the Year award in 2014.IMPs Dealer North. Both Vul
A J 3
A 9 4 3 2
Q J 8
A Q
K 10 4
8 6
7 3 2
K J 9 7 4
West
North
East
South
1
Pass
1NT
Pass
3NT
Pass
Pass
Pass
West led the 6.
At the first table in a team game, the declarer was more noted for the speed of his play rather than his skill. West led the six of spades. Declarer played low from dummy and the queen forced his king. Declarer continued with a club to the ace and the queen of clubs, overtaking it with the king. When East discarded on the third round of clubs, declarer could make no more than eight tricks.
At the other table, declarer was more careful and deliberate. At trick one, he called for dummy’s jack of spades since he wanted to preserve an entry to hand to cash the four club honours. If the jack of spades had held, then the king of spades would have been the entry. When East covered the jack of spades with the queen, declarer took it with his king and led a diamond to the queen and East’s king. East returned a spade, which was taken in dummy with the ace.
Next, declarer cashed dummy’s ace and queen of clubs. When both opponents followed to the clubs, declarer claimed nine tricks: a heart, three spades and five clubs. The ten of spades was the entry to his hand. Note that this declarer’s play of a diamond at trick two was a precautionary measure against clubs being five-one: he would then have been able to make a second diamond trick if the honours had been favourably placed.
The complete deal:
A J 3
A 9 4 3 2
Q J 8
A Q
