Bridge is a seesaw battle between 2 opposing sides. Both fight it over at the table using all the gimmicks of Bridge to come up with an upper hand. And when both play brilliantly it sometimes becomes a hazy arena where no one can predict which side is going to triumph in the end as in our first illustration for today:
The bidding:
The opening lead from west is the QD. As south what are your plans to make 3NT? First let us see the solid trick: 3 in spades, 3 in hearts, 1 in diamonds for tally of 7. If declarer tries clubs, KC is his 8th trick. That leaves him with a trick short.
The opening lead was a devastating one and pleased east immediately, But he foresaw that overtaking QD with KD would promote dummy's 9D, so he let the QD right free. At trick 2 west switched to a spade. Declarer one in hand to preserve entry in dummy for the clubs, if they behave which appeared to be his hope. But when he bid a club from hand, inserting JC, he lost to the QC. Here let us change tracks. Now place yourself in west's seat. How, do you defend from here? Your partner, plays the KD to declarer's AD. What do you retain as west? All 4 hearts of course and perhaps the AC too.
Look how the brilliance of west was working. He reasoned that to create an entry for partner's long diamonds, he had to jeppison the AC. No doubt that would make dummy's clubs pretty treading. But he had little chance left. This trojan gift from West still left declarer with no more than 8 tricks. But now coming back to the play of the hand. As south can you still muster up 9 tricks?
South was equally brilliant. For by now be could place the opponents cards and distribution pretty accurately south starts cashing his winners in the majors and in the end with 4 cards left east comes down to J10 in diamonds and 10 8 of clubs. Now a diamond end played east when was forced end played east who was forced to lead away from his 10 8 of clubs into dummy's welcome K9 to give declarer his well deserved contract.
Our next illustration is also on the same theme where both sides try their best to out beat each other. NS are in 4S on the following hand:
The opening lead is the Q H. As south what are your prospects? You can count 9 tricks quickly cant you? 5 in spades, 1 in heart and 3 top clubs with the possibility of a 10th if clubs break 3-3.
This hand offers several alternates in play. Even if clubs break 4-2, the defender with the doubleton clubs might not have a trump if declarer plays 2 rounds of trumps. This improves declarer's chances. Yet all other alternates are even better. If south could ruff 3 hearts in his own hand he can still manage 10 tricks - 3 trumps of dummy, ace of hearts with 3 heart ruffs in hand along with 3 clubs. What alternate do you prefer as south amongst the above? Or is there a better solution still? Dummy reversal looks tempting but it will leave you with an entry short. As to the first alternate you can see that even that will not work for the defender holding the doubleton clubs has 3 trumps. Can you come up with the winning line?
South found a very needs and subtle solution. He knew the contract cannot make unless east or west helps him. So he coaxed them into a trap that was shrewd and at trick 2 east winning, quickly returned a heart, which was what south wanted - an automatic extra entry in dummy created. Now he could safely ruff the 3 hearts in hand and still have that vital entry in dummy left to knock out the last trump and claim his 10 trick contract. Very few Bridge players can risk such a play. But one of the strength that a good declarer possesses is his art of knowing how to propitiate. Defenders into playing to his advantage. The French call such a Bridge manouvre as 'Manoeuvre de Guillemard'.
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North West East South
A 4 J 10 9 8 7 6 5 K Q 3 2
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8 5 3 10 6 4 2 J 9 7 A K Q
9 8 7 6 Q K J 10 5 3 A 4 2
K J 9 4 A 3 Q 1 0 8 7 6 5 2
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S W N E
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1C 1S 2C 2D
3NT ALL PASS -
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North West East South
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K 10 9 8 4 2 7 6 A Q J 5 3
9 6 4 2 Q J 10 7 3 K 8 5 A
Q 7 3 A 10 4 K 5 9 6 8 5 2
Q 7 2 9 4 J 1 0 8 6 A K 5 9
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