Helping Partner
It is a good idea to have your partner as your friend at the bridge table. Anyone with a skimpy knowledge of pychology will tell you that better results will be attained if you do just that. Furthermore, to have two opponents already is more than enough.
You are South.
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Partner leads the Declarer covers with the nine from dummy. |
Solution below.
I logged on the other day, and I was surpised to find a total of 45 kibitzers at a table. No, Bobby Goldman was not in town. It was none other than Sabine Auken, German Ladies' Champion! Much has been written about her exploits at the bridge table, and she has fared very well even in Open events. I joined the table, and a few hands later, this came up:
| Dlr: South Vul: E-W  A Q 8 5 4 2 A K J 10 8 Q 7 | 7 8 7 5 4 3 Q 9 4 2 J 6 3 9 J 10 6 2 7 6 5 3 K 10 8 5 | K J 10 6 3 K Q 9 A A 9 4 2 |
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The heart 4 was led, and rewind did claim!!!
+5.75 IMP's. Entertaining.
What does partner's lead of the heart EIGHT mean?
Once you realise that pard is leading her highest heart, you can place the three tops with declarer. Covering automatically with the 10, as I did, does not help. Think further.
Since you have nothing to develop in hearts, give partner a clear message: Play the heart two!
Declarer ducks a spade, attempting to develop tricks there, and partner switches - to a small diamond. Bless her soul. The contract is now defeated.
If you played the heart 10 at trick 1, declarer wins with the Ace, and when partner wins the first spade, she will blissfully continue with a second heart, thinking she struck gold with the lead. She will play you for a holding of Q107x or even KQ10x!!! Yes, that is what happened at the table, and declarer eagerly made 4-up!
The hands were:
| Dlr: North Vul: Both RONF 4 2 A K Q 5 J 7 K 10 7 5 3 | sweetie K J 8 8 4 Q 9 6 4 J 8 4 2 elsid Q 10 7 10 7 6 2 K 10 8 Q 9 6 | JWeyant A 9 6 5 3 J 9 3 A 5 3 2 A |
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