The Daily Telegraph Cup

As an attempt to blow away a few cobwebs, two of the six pairs who will be representing Suffolk at the Tollemache Qualifier this weekend travelled to London in last Sunday's snowfall to play in the Telegraph Cup, run by the Metropolitan Bridge Association.

The field of eight was made up of those counties that surround the capital together with a invited outlier or two, one of whom, Avon, went on to win the event. Suffolk fared less well but managed an improved second half to finish mid-table as some of those cobwebs were evicted. We did not seem to get the best of luck; quite a few points rested on a guess here:

NS Vul.
Dealer South
  • Q10
  • KQ96542
  • 104
  • 109
  • KJ987432
  • A
  • A8
  • 62
N
W
E
S
  • 6
  • J7
  • Q762
  • A87543
  • A5
  • 1083
  • KJ953
  • KQJ

The auction started the same in both rooms; South opened one no-trump and West bid four spades. For Suffolk, the no-trump showed 14-16 HCP and North was reluctant to go quietly and doubled. South removed and North declared five hearts, doubled by West. The defence did not get all their tricks; after winning a spade and the ace of trumps, West cashed the diamond ace before trying for another trump trick by playing a spade. Declarer ruffed high and ran hearts to squeeze East in clubs and diamonds.

That investment of -200 would be good value if four spades was made. For Avon, the opening showed only 12-14 HCP, North passed four spades and had to find a lead. With two ten-doubletons and a king-queen, the lead of a minor has to be twice as good as the heart sequence. North obviously thought there was need to attack and put his faith in his stronger club suit.

Declarer won dummy's club ace and led a trump, South playing low. Missing ace, queen and ten, declarer could hold his losers to one only if spades were 2-2 and South had an honour – but which one? As you might suspect, he selected the knave, lost to the queen and the game went down. What was there to guide him?

Looking at the diagram, you might think that it was South who made an error. Should he not rise with the ace, cash a club and attempt to promote his partner's queen by playing a third round?

No; that will not quite work. West has a counter, on the third club he throws his losing diamond and South has no more clubs to play. But this line provides a pointer. Change the diagram slightly, give South North's nine of clubs for the nine of diamonds and now after the singleton ten lead, South should rise with the trump ace. So some of the time he has the spade ace, South might play it in front of West and that should sway declarer to believe that when South plays low, he more often has the queen than the ace.

So, declarer chose the right line and went down – it was one of those days.

Published Saturday 29.Nov.2008