For the Connoisseur.
Standard leads, signaling, ace underleads, splitting honors, unexpected
tricks, uppercuts and trump promotions -- how much more adventure can be
packed into a single Spades deal?!
| The bidding: |
| |
| South |
West |
North |
East |
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
| |
West
led the  K
|
At a regular game the bidding might end with a 10-trick total because of
the even spades distribution, but the North and East bidders each took the
normal duplicate push. West made the standard lead of the K and even
noted his partner's 7 signal. But he also was aware his RHO had made a low
bid. Such is the right time for an ace underlead. The  4 hit the table
and when North chose not to split his honors, East's 9 held -- a most
unexpected trick.
East cashed the A and continued hearts, North trumping West's queen.
Now North led the K. I have written in several places that one should
never trump one's partner's king-lead, and this time is no exception. But
South played the  5 nonetheless. He led the boss J, but East trumped. A
third round of diamonds forced South to trump again. Now he cashed the  A
and gave up a club trick to East's K. East persisted with diamonds, and
South used his last trump the Q. It is usually wrong to overtrump with
the A, but this time West correctly
overtrumped to deny the opponents their fifth trick and to help to promote his
side's lower spades.
|
|
These cards remained with West on lead. North/South still needed two
more tricks for their 6-bid. West led the J and North went in with the
9, only to be overtrumped by East's J. Now came the fifth and final
diamond. Having played this well so far, West was certainly not going to
fumble at the goal line. He cut with the 10, the notorious uppercut
play. North had to overtrump with the K, and East's 8 was promoted to
boss for the setting trick.
The 100% result on this deal helped E/W overcome a disastrous start
and finish in 2nd place overall.
|
