Brighton Teams

Well last weekend I did get to Brighton and very good fun it was, making me wonder how I managed to miss out the last couple of years. The second weekend is teams and 193 took part. The format hasn't changed – although as a prelude to the presentations it was mentioned that this may change for 2007 – and ten rounds of Swiss are played before the top sixteen teams, in two eights, are skimmed off.

They play for the Four Stars, 'A' and 'B', the remainder of us scrap it out for the Brighton Bowl – or perhaps just pride - with four more rounds of Swiss. That we found ourselves in that last category didn't detract from the enjoyment. The hands as ever were interesting, try this one single dummy, none vulnerable:

  • Q973
  • AJ976
  • A2
  • Q7
N
W
E
S
  • A62
  • 104
  • 1098
  • AKJ83
West
North
East
South
—
3
Pass
Pass
3
Pass
4
All Pass

They have forced you to some uncomfortable bidding decisions but the final contract is eminently sensible and North leads the ♦K. It seems reasonable to try to rid yourself of the diamond loser so your start with three rounds of clubs, relieved when that passes of without anyone ruffing. Drawing trumps looks a good idea, so you lead… which, dummy's ten or four?

Against us West tried the ten, I covered as South and North showed out. There was no way back and the contract duly failed a trick. Had West led the four, let's say I would have played low and declarer's nine would hold. This would be the situation:

  • J108
  • ---
  • QJ753
  • ---
  • Q973
  • AJ76
  • ---
  • ---
N
W
E
S
  • A62
  • 10
  • 109
  • J8
  • K54
  • KQ853
  • ---
  • ---

West now leads a low trump to dummy's ten; what can South do? I would have to win this but now a spade away from the king would concede two tricks there and three more would come from trumps on the lead of a club from dummy. A trump would be no better as that would give West the seven spot immediately and now a spade tow the queen would set up a trick and again, South would wait, poised, with the ace-knave of trumps to score two tricks, South hampered by his overlong trumps. It does South no good to play an honour on the first round either; playing back to the ten is again successful.

So, when the problem was posed above, it was really quite simple, if you can't afford the honour to be covered, you shouldn't lead it.

Published Saturday 26.Aug.2006