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BRIDGE BITES  #76

      

 

DUPLICATE DECISION

                                                                      Brian Gunnell

 

♠ 543

♥ K3

♦ QT965

♣ KQ5

 

            None Vulnerable

            South   West     North    East

            1NT      Pass    3NT      Pass

            Pass     Pass

 

            In most forms of bridge, Declarer’s main objective is to

            make the contract, with overtricks being only a secondary      

            consideration.  But in duplicate bridge scoring (aka     

            matchpoints) overtricks loom large and it is not unheard       

            of for Declarer to risk the contract in search of an overtrick.

            Here is a case in point.

 

        Dummy

 

West            East

 

       Declarer

♠ AK2

♥ 9842

♦ KJ83

♣ A4

 

South opens a 15-17 No Trump, North raises to game, and West leads a Club.  Declarer wins that trick and knocks out the ♦A.  Back comes a Club, at which point there are nine tricks for the taking in the shape of two Spades, four Diamonds and three Clubs.  Is it time for Declarer to fold his tent, claim nine tricks and move on to the next hand?

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