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Literary
July 15, 1935
Henderson Daily Dispatch
Henderson, Vance County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
Bridge column analyzing a small slam in hearts. South bids and makes 6 hearts despite East's double. Various opening leads by defenders are examined, showing why none can defeat the contract, allowing declarer to discard losers on good spades.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Contract Bridge
CAN DEFENDERS STOP A SMALL SLAM?
EAST AND WEST had quite an argument over the possibility of topping the small slam bid at hearts.
East claimed that the opening spade lead alone made 6-odd possible. Is this true?
Bidding went: South, 1-Heart; West, 2-Clubs; North, 3-Diamonds;
South, 4-Hearts; North, 4-Spades;
South, 5-Hearts; North, 6-Diamonds;
South, 6-Hearts, doubled by East.
The opening lead was the 6 of spades.
Dummy's Ace won.
The one heart was led, and the 10 won the finesse.
South led off both his top hearts, hoping to bump opposing trumps.
Declarer led a diamond.
East ruffed with the Q. South's Ace of clubs won the return lead. Dummy was put in with the Ace of diamonds.
Declarer's last diamond and 2 low clubs were discarded on the 3 good spades, yielding the small slam bid.
An opening lead of trumps would have produced the same result as leading the spade. Unless East plays his Q he will win a single trump trick. He can be deprived of the Q of hearts, either by leading a fourth trump or by allowing East to ruff a diamond. In either event a small slam will result.
Try an opening lead of diamonds, covering with dummy's K. If East ruffs he will obtain only his single trump trick. If East leads a trump he will be picked up. The balance of tricks must go to South. If instead of leading a trump East leads a spade overtake the K with dummy's Ace and pick up East's trumps, yielding a small slam. Suppose that East leads his K of clubs, after his ruff of a diamond. Win with South's Ace. Enter dummy with a spade.
Pick up East's trumps. Enter dummy with a diamond. Discard South's losers on dummy's spades, giving a small slam.
Suppose that East refuses to ruff the opening diamond lead. Hearts will be led through him, as they were with the opening spade lead and East will win his single trump only.
Just as happened in the original play of the hand. To insure this result South can lead a trump, or enter dummy with the Ace of spades and take 3 discards of losers, then force East to ruff the Ace of diamonds or take a belated heart lead. Refusal to ruff will do East no good.
Lead a club. Two methods will yield the small slam. Have dummy ruff the club. Put South in with high K of spades. Lead trumps until East's Q wins his only trick. Or let South's Ace win the first club trick.
Take two rounds of hearts. Put dummy in with a spade. Cast off declarer's 2 low clubs and one low diamond on dummy's spades. Nothing can stop the small slam.
CAN DEFENDERS STOP A SMALL SLAM?
EAST AND WEST had quite an argument over the possibility of topping the small slam bid at hearts.
East claimed that the opening spade lead alone made 6-odd possible. Is this true?
Bidding went: South, 1-Heart; West, 2-Clubs; North, 3-Diamonds;
South, 4-Hearts; North, 4-Spades;
South, 5-Hearts; North, 6-Diamonds;
South, 6-Hearts, doubled by East.
The opening lead was the 6 of spades.
Dummy's Ace won.
The one heart was led, and the 10 won the finesse.
South led off both his top hearts, hoping to bump opposing trumps.
Declarer led a diamond.
East ruffed with the Q. South's Ace of clubs won the return lead. Dummy was put in with the Ace of diamonds.
Declarer's last diamond and 2 low clubs were discarded on the 3 good spades, yielding the small slam bid.
An opening lead of trumps would have produced the same result as leading the spade. Unless East plays his Q he will win a single trump trick. He can be deprived of the Q of hearts, either by leading a fourth trump or by allowing East to ruff a diamond. In either event a small slam will result.
Try an opening lead of diamonds, covering with dummy's K. If East ruffs he will obtain only his single trump trick. If East leads a trump he will be picked up. The balance of tricks must go to South. If instead of leading a trump East leads a spade overtake the K with dummy's Ace and pick up East's trumps, yielding a small slam. Suppose that East leads his K of clubs, after his ruff of a diamond. Win with South's Ace. Enter dummy with a spade.
Pick up East's trumps. Enter dummy with a diamond. Discard South's losers on dummy's spades, giving a small slam.
Suppose that East refuses to ruff the opening diamond lead. Hearts will be led through him, as they were with the opening spade lead and East will win his single trump only.
Just as happened in the original play of the hand. To insure this result South can lead a trump, or enter dummy with the Ace of spades and take 3 discards of losers, then force East to ruff the Ace of diamonds or take a belated heart lead. Refusal to ruff will do East no good.
Lead a club. Two methods will yield the small slam. Have dummy ruff the club. Put South in with high K of spades. Lead trumps until East's Q wins his only trick. Or let South's Ace win the first club trick.
Take two rounds of hearts. Put dummy in with a spade. Cast off declarer's 2 low clubs and one low diamond on dummy's spades. Nothing can stop the small slam.
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
What keywords are associated?
Contract Bridge
Small Slam
Defense
Bidding
Declarer
Trumps
Discards
Literary Details
Title
Can Defenders Stop A Small Slam?
Subject
Analysis Of A Small Slam Contract In Hearts