14th July 2021


Dealer North
S
KQ5
   
Love All
H
642
   
    D K964
   
    C 875
   
S
87632
    S
A94
H
J8
    H
K10975
D
A873
    D
5
C
62
    C
K943
    S
J10
   
    H
AQ3
   
    D
QJ102
   
    C
AQJ10
   

South
West
North
East


Pass
2H
2NT Pass 3NT  Pass
Pass Pass





A deal from the Berks and Bucks Swiss Pairs last month.
East opened two hearts showing five hearts and four or more in a minor suit with a maximum of 10 high card points.
John Holland bid two notrump as South and was raised to three notrump by Jackie Pye.
West led the jack of hearts, ducked by East.
John could now duck the heart to ensure nine tricks, which he undoubtedly would do at teams, but at pairs he decided to be more ambitious.  He won the heart and played the ten of diamonds.  West should take this and continue hearts, which would hold South to nine tricks (East gets squeezed out of a heart winner).  But West ducked, so when the ten held John switched his attention to spades.  East won the jack of spades, which was an error as John now had enough entries to make four clubs, three diamonds, two hearts and two spades for an equal top.  If East had ducked the first spade John would need to revert to diamonds, ending up with ten tricks.




Thanks to John Holland for reporting this deal