BRIDGE
Trump control
Andrew Robson
PLAYING A trump contract with only seven trumps can be a delicate affair, but provided you retain trump control, they can make surprisingly many tricks. The key is to give up your necessary losers early, when the opponents cannot profitably force the hand with longer trump length to trump.
Dealer South Both vulnerable 49 4 • A Q J 5 • 10 8 • Q 109 5 2 4Q 8 7 • 2 • A K • 7 3 South 14 double 44 2 J 4 3 •
West 2• pass all pass
46 • K • 9 • J 10 3 4 North pass 4• 5 109 7 6 8 8 3 5 East 3* pass
N
W E
S
4AKJ 4,
7 6 4 • 2 A K 6
Note North's actions in the bidding. He was stymied over the 2• overcall into pass- ing; bidding a new major suit at the two level shows a five card suit, ruling out 2•; and bidding 3+ would be a great overstate- ment of his values. When his partner dou- bled 3• for take-out, North was able to come to life, his 4* bid asked partner to select a game contract, and South rebid his excellent five 4 card suit. 54 is a better contract but 44 is destined to make provid- ed declarer times the hand properly. West led •A and •K, South trumping. It looks tempting to take an immediate • finesse — even if it loses, East will not be able to make South trump — dummy can take care of a further • force. But counting declarer's tricks (44s, a and • five +Ps] reveals that he doesn't need any extra • tricks. He can guarantee his contract pro- vided 4s divide no worse than 4-2. How? He should simply play 410 at trick three. If the opponents win 4Q, dummy still has +9 to trump a • return, keeping South's trumps intact. West chose to let 410 win, but declarer played 4A and 4K and, leav- ing 4Q out, ran his +s. West could trump the third 4, but South still had a trump left and made his contract easily. Had South succumbed to the temptation of the V finesse at trick three, East would beat the hand by returning a • or a II.
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