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The Substitute’s Tale

The Substitute’s Tale

By In 44th World Bridge Teams Championships On 18th September 2019


You will recall having read about David Kendrick joining the English Senior team at the eleventh hour. He reported a couple of good stories about this deal from Round 9:

North led a heart and when dummy’s queen was allowed to hold declarer played a diamond. If he puts in the ten, North will win and play a second heart enabling South to clear the suit, after which there are only eight tricks. Knowing that South must hold the QuadriA declarer avoided this trap by playing the king. When it held he was up to eight tricks. It looks tempting to play the diamond jack a this point, put South will win and switch to the PiccheQ after which declarer will have no way to generate a ninth trick. Appreciating the danger, declarer crossed to dummy with a club and played a diamond. That meant South’s king hit thin air and whatever the defenders did declarer could establish a ninth trick in diamonds.
When EW stopped in 3Picche at the other table, England gained 10 IMPs.

This is from the BB match between England & Singapore. In the Open Room Forrester & Robson made 5Fiori for +600.
In the replay, Kien Hoong Fong was at the helm in 3NT and Allerton led the Cuori8,
Jagger winning with the ace and switching to the PiccheQ. Declarer won in dummy and played a diamond and South went up with the ace to play a second spade. Declarer won perforce with the king, cashed three top clubs and the CuoriK before crossing to dummy with a club to exit with a spade. North could take two tricks in the suit, but then had to lead into the QuadriKJ. Well defended and beautifully played.


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.