The Pathologist

OKB MP's Week 33 Board 270

There are two kinds of pathologists - those that deal with the living (evaluating and curing); and those that do post-mortems to establish cause of death. In Bridge, also, we have two types. Let us see which type you are - will you find the error at the end of the hand - or will you find the right play as it occurs?

You are West.

NORTH (dummy)
K 8
K 8 7 5 4
K 10 8 4
A 4

WEST (you)
J 10 7 4
Q 9 6
Q 7 6 5
9 5

Dealer: East. Vul: none

WEST

Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
NORTH

1
2 *
4 NT
Pass
EAST

Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
SOUTH

1
1 NT
4
6 NT

Lead: J

Declarer plays small from table, partner gives you the deuce (udca), and the ace wins. Declarer tries the heart knave, but you cover, HK, HA. Pard returns the spade three. Declarer wins in dummy, cashes the club ace, heart ten and now comes the avalanche of clubs.
When the last club hits the table, what are your last 4 cards, Dear Doctor Pathologist? Dummy has retained the heart eight and 3 diamonds.

Solution below.

Another Vienna Coup

OKB IMP's Week 32 Board 506

I was in the lobby the other day when I heard:
"anyone here that will try me out? I am better than my stats!!!
I agreed to play with farmer and 3 hands later, this came up (hand rotated)

Dlr: West
Vul: Both

A J 10 7 5
K 10 6
10 3
A 7 3

K 9 6 2
Q 3
A K 8 5 4
5 2

Q 8 4 3
A 9 5
Q J 7
K Q 8

- - -
J 8 7 4 2
9 6 2
J 10 9 6 4
This was the bidding:

West
mcqt

1
Pass
Pass
North
elsid

Pass
3NT
East
tartan

Pass
Pass
South
farmer

1NT
Pass

The spade ace was led, then the club ace was cashed, and the club seven came next.

farmer then played off the third club, spade to the king, the diamond queen and jack, then followed the heart ace (vienna coup), and played a diamond to hand. At this stage he claimed saying "squeezed."
This would have been the 3-card ending:

J 7
K
- - -
- - -

9
Q
8
- - -

Q 8
9
- - -
- - -

- - -
J 8
- - -
J

On the last diamond, the heart nine is discarded from hand, and West gives up the ghost.

Well played, farmer!!!

Solution

Did you come to this 4-card ending perhaps?

- - -

Q 7 6

- - -

K 10 8

- - -

A 9

- - -

J 3 2

- - -

Declarer plays the last club. Forced to keep the heart nine, you pitch a diamond as West, and dummy throws the worthless heart now.
Partner exclaims "waaaaahhhhhhh."

Yep, making, -990.

You are a post-mortem Pathologist.

This is the ending you must come to:

Q 7

- - -

K 10 8

- - -

A 9

- - -

J 3 2

- - -

Again, declarer plays the last club. This time you discard the diamond seven, keeping the spade 10.
Partner exclaims "wowowowow what a defence!!!"

Yep, you get +50.

You are a living, real-life Pathologist.

Very nice.

Yes, pard could have helped by pitching his spade queen at his first oppurtunity, forcing you to keep the spade 10. But I hope you were equal to the task at hand.

Another Vienna Coup

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