posted February 2011

MP Pairs Tournament

MPs: your task is to make the maximum available.

Bd: 7 Dlr: South Vul: Both North S AQ87543 H J84 D A9 C 6 South S K2 H K D KQJ84 C K8752 West North East South gintuci baboo12 soljabo helri 1D Pass 1S Pass 2C Pass 4S Pass Pass Pass Trick 1: H5 HK HA H4 Trick 2: SJ S3 S9 SK Trick 3: S2 S6 SA H2 Trick 4: SQ H6 C2 ST

QUIZ: How to make 12 tricks?

Solution:

You could assume that diamonds will break no worse than 4-2, but you can do better.

If diamonds are 5-1 and the person who has the diamond length also possesses the A or/and the Q, we can catch him in a squeeze.   Simply play all your trumps!   On the last trump that player succumbs.

All too often players guard their trumps close to their chests, instead of using them as leverage.

The full hands were:

North S AQ87543 H J84 D A9 C 6 West East S J106 S 9 H A10732 H Q965 D 6 D 107532 C A943 C QJ10 South S K2 H K D KQJ84 C K8752