Everyone knows how important it is to make an overtrick in match-points.
Experts always look for opportunities to outstrip others, playing in his/her direction. Take the South seat below from a match-point event.
Analysis:
As long as trumps break 3-2, you will have 10 tricks, 5 Spades, 3 Hearts and 2 Diamonds after drawing trumps. Is there any way whatsoever of making 11 tricks?
Take a while to think about it before reading ahead.
Play:
Win the opening lead and cash the top spades in hand. Cash the high hearts in dummy next, pitching a diamond from hand. Ruff the fourth heart. Let us say there is no over ruff. Cash ♦K and play a diamond to dummy’s ace and ruff the third diamond. Exit in a club and claim the last two tricks.
The complete hands were
Post Mortem
This declarer drew only two rounds of trumps because he wanted to ruff twice in his hand! This, admittedly, was only possible if the player with the long hearts also had the third trump.
The beauty of this play was that, as long as the hearts broke 4-3, it was risk free. If either defender could ruff the fourth heart, declarer would always end up with 10 tricks any way. Even if the hearts broke 5-2, as long as the defender with the long hearts had the third spade, declarer would always be good for 11 tricks.
Did you play the hand right? Do let us know in the comments section below!
Disclaimer : All opinions are entirely those of the author and are no reflection of the views of the BridgeFromHome Team.
Nice but not the best, you are leaving an option on table. Best is to win the lead and concede a club. win any return and concede one more club. you have a positional elopement without the requirement of long h holding long spade.