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VOLVER AL INICIO - AGREGAR A FAVORITOS

                                                          

 

 

 

JUST BRIDGE...


THE DESIGNATED DECLARER

 

by Beverly Kraft -Eric Kokish

 
 

 Our esteemed colleague the late Ted Horning once wrote that if bridge were like baseball and he were coaching the Canadian team, he would bring in Sami Kehela as his designated declarer when the going got tough. As we bid farewell to the 20th Century, we would like to share with you a deal that Ted reported in his column "Canadian Bridge" many years ago. North was Eric Murray, South Sami Kehela.

Both sides vulnerable
East deals
 

  9 7
A Q 4 2
Q J 10 7 2

K 4

   
  K 10 8 6 5 4
7

A
Q J 9 7 5


 

West North East South
  EM   SK
    1 1
Pass 2NT Pass 3
Pass 3 Pass 4
Pass Pass Pass  


Opening Lead:
K

 Although there appear to be two spades and two clubs to lose Kehela proved that this was not the case.

 Declarer took the lead of the
K with dummy's ace and called for a spade. When East followed low declarer won the king, cashed the A and led a second trump. East won perforce and returned a heart as declarer discarded a club. East covered dummy's Q and declarer ruffed away the king. A third round of spades put West on play. If he returned a diamond, declarer could discard his losing club, and if he returned a club declarer's nine would come into play.

 Could East put up a better fight? Say that he goes in with the
A immediately to play a second round. Declarer wins the king, cashes the A, and plays the Q. East can win the A and return the suit but declarer is in dummy to play the     Q, ruffing out the king. Now a third spade, forcing West to put declarer in dummy with a red card or play a club into declarer's tenace. If instead East ducks Q, he must win the second club and play a red suit (say a heart to dummy's queen). Declarer ruffs out the K, and a third spade again endplays West.

 And if East wins the first trump to play a second heart (best), declarer discards the blocking A, ruffs out the K, cashes the K, and leads the Q. East ducks, wins the second club and plays a heart but when West wins his second trump trick (now or on the next trick), he will again have to play a minor suit to his disadvantage. This variation would have been the most spectacular and you can be sure that Canada's Designated Declarer would have been equal to the task.

 

The four hands were:

  9 7
A Q 4 2
Q J 10 7 2

K 4

Q J 3
K J
8 5 4 3
10 6 3 2
A 2
10 9 8 6 5 3
K 9 6
A 8
  K 10 8 6 5 4
7

A
Q J 9 7 5