Jeff Lehman

Greed, not Good.

On Board 22 of Thursday’s club game, I was on lead against a third seat 15-17 vul v not 1NT, passed out, with this collection:

N
North
KQ72
QJ3
K98
Q84

.

 

I chose to lead the Q, and received an encouraging 9 from partner, as I held the trick.  I continued two more rounds of the suit, declarer winning the ace at last.  The whole deal (partner South having chosen to pass in passout seat rather than bid 2 showing a two-suiter to include clubs):

 
22
E-W
East
N
North
KQ72
QJ3
K98
Q84
 
W
West
AJ9
A52
AQJ43
32
Q
E
East
1053
107
7652
AJ96
 
S
South
864
K9864
10
K1075
 

 

Unable to repel the greed of finding my partner with Kx of diamonds, declarer chose not to start diamonds from the top but rather to lead a club toward dummy.

This card combination is a common one.  With Qxx/QTx/Kxx/KTx second hand should normally rise with the high honor, appearing to some declarers as though he were splitting from a holding with both high honors; with KQx second hand should duck, because declarer’s percentage play is to finesse the nine playing second hand for QTx/KTx rather than KQx.

I played the Q and declarer ducked.  I continued a small club and declarer finessed the jack, losing to partner’s king.  Partner ran two heart tricks.  Dummy had pitched three diamonds; declarer had pitched one of each pointed suit; I had pitched the 7 and the 8.  Next partner switched to a spade.  Declarer chose to insert the jack, losing to my queen. 

The position now:

 
22
E-W
East
N
North
K2
K9
8
 
W
West
A
AQJ4
Q
E
East
105
7
A9
 
S
South
86
10
105
 

 

 

A small spade now endplays declarer, who, having already lost four hearts, two clubs and a spade, will lose the K and a second spade for -300.

Greed, (at least some times) not Good.

 

 

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