Source: Bulletins
September 29, 2019
As I look back on my life in bridge, I realise that it was right for me to choose a job as editor of the magazine Dansk Bridge for 35 years instead of playing the game. Why? My skills as a bridge player were not good enough — I did much better at the table as South/East or North/West! In the very first session of the Wuhan finals, Board 5 confirmed what I mean:
I checked the scores at every table — 5 was made at one table, but elsewhere 3NT was the most popular contract.
It was only made twice, while all the others went down, as did those who tried 5.
Double dummy, which is my area, I realised that 3NT is lay down, because you can always set up an endplay against West.
The bidding at the Norwegian table was: 2 — (2) — 3(weak) — (3) — 3NT. A spade was led to the ace, a spade back to the queen, and a third spade to declarer’s king.
Declarer now may cash all his clubs and, down to five cards West is left with one spade and Kx in both red suits. Therefore, cash one of the red aces and endplay West to give you the last two tricks.
I checked the two players who made 3NT, but was disappointed. In the Venice Cup, Sweden’s Ida Grönkvist got a spade lead to the ace and a heart return, ducked — nine tricks.
In the d’Orsi Trophy the Dutchmen, Van der Hoek got the 10 back from East at trick two and (mis)played the hand by playing the king. Notice that East now has an entry with the 8 but, when South cashed his clubs, West kept his Q9, and therefore was endplayed to lead from one of his red kings.
I had a dream — I will continue as South/East or North/West….