Hold on to the ball
By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency
“‘Dropping the ball’ really doesn’t sound like a great way to start a new year.” — graffiti
Look at today’s North-South cards. West leads the nine of clubs against six spades. The actual declarer dropped the ball and went down. Can you do better?
North opened one club on his balanced 16-point hand; apparently, he was unwilling to open 1NT with two unstopped suits. South won the first club with the king, drew trumps and tried a heart from dummy to his ten. West took the jack and led another club, and South ran the clubs, pitching his queen of diamonds, and tried a second heart to his queen. Down one.
“Unlucky,” South asserted.
UNLUCKY?
Was he really unlucky or could he hold on to the ball?
South should make the slam easily. After he draws trumps, he takes two more clubs, then leads a heart to his ten. When West wins, he is end-played. If he returns a diamond, South wins with the queen, South reaches dummy with a trump and discards his queen of hearts on the fourth club.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: { Q 10 9 6 3 x A Q 10 z A Q y Q 6 2. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens three diamonds. What do you say?
ANSWER: This problem is difficult; enemy preempts will force you into tough guesses. You must act to avoid being stolen from; assume your partner has a fair share of the missing strength. To double or risk 3NT might be a winning action. My choice would be an overcall of three spades, but I don’t feel strongly. North dealer N-S vulnerable