Dubious Logic

Suffolk v Northamptonshire

Suffolk's last match of the season was against front-runners Northamptonshire, away at Kettering. I am glad to say that the county side rounded off their year well and most, well two thirds of those that made the long trip, returned home in good cheer. The 'A' team won 13-7, the 'C' team 16-4 but the 'B' team finished on the wrong side of a 2-18 defeat. At the halftime break, incidentally when all Suffolk teams were behind, this deal provoked discussion:

South might have passed three spades but we were an unfamiliar partnership and he took the insurance of bidding (though it is the opponents who can make 3NT!). East's two diamonds showed a good heart raise and he led the club six.

I won the ace, guessed a trump to the ten and was momentarily pleased to see the ace. East led another club, I rose king and it all collapsed. West ruffed, played a heart, East won, cashed a club, gave West another ruff, and I was two light. I discovered a number of declarers had (or could have) made four spades, some doubled – how on earth could you come to ten tricks, indeed, how could you take nine?

Where the spade game made the stories were similar; after leading the heart ace and switching to a club, like me, declarer won and tried a trump to the lower honour (in isolation, the king is better, gaining against East's singleton queen). East won and led a club for West to ruff, but these norths inserted the ten of clubs.

This has no bearing on the club suit – a trick has to be lost to the queen in any case – but after taking the ruff, West surveyed a number of goodies. They held the heart king and the diamond ace; surely one would cash. As we can see (and they should have) neither does. Moreover it establishes a winner on which declarer can throw their losing club. West should reflect, "if North has a red suit loser, where can it go?". Getting off lead with the now singleton trump queen in the only safe measure.

Nine tricks on a club lead still seems hard; I leave it as a puzzle – answer on the Internet version via http://www.dubiouslogic.com/bridge/eadt/2009/ [at end].

Suffolk v Northamptonshire
'A' Team won 13-7 VPs (+16 IMPs)
P. Gemmell (Capt.)/ P. Sutcliffe
M. Allnutt / D. Sutcliffe
E. Newman / M. Sherer
C. Bamberger / R. Green

'B' Team lost 2-18 VPs (-64 IMPs)
D. Price / J. Price
R. Hanley / J. Orton
N. Denny / R. Mascall
N. Less / H. Mason

'C' Team won 16-4 VPs (+45 IMPs)
G. Beeton / C. Chambers
B. Barker / B. Davies
J. Mayhew / A. Wilmer
N. Farr / J. Moore

To make nine tricks: the most testing lead is a club and clearly declarer is threatened with two off as happened at the first table. One ruff does the defence no good as they are due two trump tricks and declarer's first move must be to disrupt the defensive transportation. He cannot prevent East gaining the lead in spades but he can in hearts – by a classic Scissors Coup.

After winning a club in South, the lead to trick two must the be ♦K. West wins the ace and North throws his heart. East can gain the lead once with the trump ace but no more.

Published Saturday 28.Feb.2009