This hand came up while playing a local game at Mercercrest bridge club in Mercer Island, near Seattle (one heart spot modified for the narrative). The club participates in the common game, night version.
You are West holding AQ5, QJ, KT654, J83. E/W vul with E dealer.
After two passes, you open 1D (likely 4+), double by LHO, 1H by partner, 2S by RHO which gets passed out.
You lead the HQ and you see:
Not everyone will double with that hand.
Declarer goes up with the HA (partner encouraging) and plays a club to the A, partner showing an odd number.
Now declarer plays the S9. You choose to duck, as dummy and partner both follow with a low card.
Now declarer plays another spade, on which you go up with the SA, partner following.
To beat 2S, you need to be able to get 2 heart tricks, 2 diamonds and 2 spades. Thus you assume partner is 2-4-4-3 with the DA and DK and a fourth round of hearts can promote your SQ.
You play the HJ, it wins and you now quickly play a low diamond, and partner wins the DA. Partner now plays the HK, declarer following with the T.
At this point you realize your mistake. Instead of a low diamond, you should have played the DK first. Then a diamond to the DA, HK, followed by another heart by partner, and you get your SQ.
[A defensive version of the cross-ruff principle for declarer: cash you side suit tricks before you start your crossruff, otherwise the opponents(s) will throw the cards in the side suits and you won' get your winners there.]
As you played it, declarer (with a 4-3-2-4 hand) can throw his losing diamond on the fourth heart.
But all is not lost!
Partner seems to have started with HK9xx in which case you have a chance!
You are left with two clubs (declarer had played one round earlier). You throw one of them on the HK. Now when partner plays the H9 (the top heart at that moment), if declarer throws his last diamond, you can throw your last club! Partner can now give you a club ruff, for down one.
Even if you make a mistake, it might not be the end. There still might be opportunities lurking. The same is true not just for a single hand, but for the whole match. Don't let one mistake mess up the other hands for you, which will happen if you dwell upon your mistakes. You should definitely look at your mistakes (how else will you improve?), but only after the match. It is easier said than done, though.
[Beating 2S gives you just an average+ (while playing and making 3D is a near top), so, I guess the real moral of the story is to bid 3 over 2 in matchpoints, even with only an eight card fit...]
You are West holding AQ5, QJ, KT654, J83. E/W vul with E dealer.
After two passes, you open 1D (likely 4+), double by LHO, 1H by partner, 2S by RHO which gets passed out.
You lead the HQ and you see:
| MPS E/W | North ♠ K832 ♥ A843 ♦ 73 ♣ Q62 | |
| West ♠ AQ5 ♥ QJ ♦ KT654 ♣ J83 | ||
| W | N | E | S |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | P | ||
| 1D | X | 1H | 2S |
| P | P | P |
Not everyone will double with that hand.
Declarer goes up with the HA (partner encouraging) and plays a club to the A, partner showing an odd number.
Now declarer plays the S9. You choose to duck, as dummy and partner both follow with a low card.
Now declarer plays another spade, on which you go up with the SA, partner following.
To beat 2S, you need to be able to get 2 heart tricks, 2 diamonds and 2 spades. Thus you assume partner is 2-4-4-3 with the DA and DK and a fourth round of hearts can promote your SQ.
You play the HJ, it wins and you now quickly play a low diamond, and partner wins the DA. Partner now plays the HK, declarer following with the T.
At this point you realize your mistake. Instead of a low diamond, you should have played the DK first. Then a diamond to the DA, HK, followed by another heart by partner, and you get your SQ.
[A defensive version of the cross-ruff principle for declarer: cash you side suit tricks before you start your crossruff, otherwise the opponents(s) will throw the cards in the side suits and you won' get your winners there.]
As you played it, declarer (with a 4-3-2-4 hand) can throw his losing diamond on the fourth heart.
But all is not lost!
Partner seems to have started with HK9xx in which case you have a chance!
You are left with two clubs (declarer had played one round earlier). You throw one of them on the HK. Now when partner plays the H9 (the top heart at that moment), if declarer throws his last diamond, you can throw your last club! Partner can now give you a club ruff, for down one.
Even if you make a mistake, it might not be the end. There still might be opportunities lurking. The same is true not just for a single hand, but for the whole match. Don't let one mistake mess up the other hands for you, which will happen if you dwell upon your mistakes. You should definitely look at your mistakes (how else will you improve?), but only after the match. It is easier said than done, though.
[Beating 2S gives you just an average+ (while playing and making 3D is a near top), so, I guess the real moral of the story is to bid 3 over 2 in matchpoints, even with only an eight card fit...]
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