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Hamlet’s Conundrum

Hamlet’s Conundrum

By In 16th World Bridge Series On 22nd August 2022


One of the most difficult things to decide is whether to enter the auction after both opponent’s have bid. Look at this East hand from the sixth round of the Rosenblum:

To bid or not to bid, that is the question.

Let’s see what happened in the match between Gupta and Lebowitz:

Here East fearlessly bid both his suits.
He led the Quadri10 and declarer won with the jack and cashed five spades. When East discarded on the FioriA he knew his fate, -100.

South was happy to double 2Picche and then doubled again.

South cashed three top spades and then, appreciating that declarer must be void in clubs, switched to the Fiori 6! Declarer put in dummy’s nine, ruffed North’s ten and played the ace of hearts and a heart to dummy’s jack, North winning with the king and exiting with the }4. Declarer ruffed and played a heart to the eight, South discarding a spade. A diamond to the queen saw South win and exit with the Fiori K. Declarer ruffed and cashed the Quadri A, but North had to score the {J for two down, -500 and 12 IMPs.
Helgemo’s brilliant switch was predicated on the fact that if declarer failed to put up dummy’s Fiori Q on the first round of the suit she would then be unable to play trumps as South would win and then play a high club, the force ensuring at least two down.
 


About the Author

Mark Horton
Mark Horton

Mark Horton British journalist and expert player, was Editor of Bridge Magazine 1995-2017 and now edits the online publication Bridgerama+. At one time, his business cards were inscribed: Have Cards will Travel, but following the death of his most famous sponsor, the Rabbi Leonard Helman, he has tended to concentrate on his writing exploits (in 2018 he had five books published!). Anyone wanting to discover how to lose at bridge on a regular basis (and pay for the privilege) should feel free to contact him. He currently lives in Shrewsbury with his wife Liz.