Autore: gabriele pelizzari

I’m playing the Brianza Bridge Tournament on BBO with a great player, Octilia.

In our last match, board 7 I held  ♠A7642-♥4-♦AK72-♣AQ4. 

North seated while I was lulling my beautiful cards Est bid 1♣ showing 17+ HCP.

I was a little bit disappointed but I could easily bid 1♠.

West joined the conversation with a double, showing 4-6 points, my pard passed (you could bet on that) and  Est bid a conclusive 4♥.

It is my turn,  can you please help me?

Which is your bid? Pass, Dbl or what else (Nespresso???)?

I preferred Dbl that remained the final contract.

Normal lead is A♦ and dummy showed these cards:

♠QJTx-♥97–♦Q964-♣962

While I was counting my tricks, 1♦, 1♠, and 2♣ =  1 off,  your pd played the three, and …. the player ruffed and played immediately the ♠K.

Ohhh Nooo, my first thinking was wrong, and on the second card, I had to make the right decision.

To duck or not to duck, this is the question. It’s one of the most common bridge saying.

What helped me playing a small ♠ was that if my pard had three ♠ cards she would probably bid 4♠.

Do you agree?

Never mind, pard played 9♠.

Now Est continued with ♠5 that I won with the Ace while your pd showed ♠3.

And Now?

Which is the best play you can do?

I guessed EST hand could be 2♠-8♥-3♣ , and to justify the 1♣ opening , with ♣K also.

Dummy now held: ♠QJ-♥9x-♦Qxx-♣xxx

I’m giving you other 30 seconds to get the right decision.

Do you think the dummy is now unreachable? If so, you put on the table  ♦K …… and the tragedy is finally completed! (I also played this way)

Why?

Est ruffed ♦, played ♥A and a small ♥ to 9.

My pard held ♥8 and ♥5 and she was not able to get the trick…

Result ?

14 MP lost by my team.

Was this contract beatable?

The answer is ….. Yes!

Why?

Angy held the ♣K but I was not able to get this important info.

Is there a clear solution?

Yes, make a call :), Just kidding !

After a whole thinking night, I found a possible solution. It’s not easy to get, do you figure it out?

if ♦3  it’s a mandatory card to give the count, the key point is on ♠ cards.

Does it make sense to give the count to your partner at trick two when he already choose to duck the ♠K?

Now when he won with Ace the second ♠ card, he had a clear message.

Which one?

You gave him a miss-count !!!

It should be a great allowed signal to play a different suite and in this case ♣

Was it easy?

I don’t think so,  and I wouldn’t have had the solution at the table, but it is a very tricky way to inform pd to play another suite.

And you?

Did you find the solution?