Carl Jung, who died in 1961, said, "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
At the bridge table, an understanding of the opening lead may give us an understanding of the location of other key cards — as in this deal.
You are in four spades. West, in answer to his partner's overcall, leads the heart nine. How would you plan the play? What do you think of the bidding?
The auction was normal. If you use negative doubles (recommended), your one-spade response guaranteed at least five spades because you would have doubled with four spades. North's raise to three spades showed 15-17 total points (counting high-card and shortage points) with four-card spade support. Then you had an automatic raise to game.
You have four possible losers: two diamonds and two clubs. The obvious plan is to hope that East has the club ace. But is there any chance if West is hovering with that card, waiting to guillotine your king?
Well, read West's lead. The nine must be a singleton or, more likely, high from a doubleton. Whichever it is, East must have the king and 10 of hearts. How does this help?
Cover West's nine with dummy's queen and capture East's king with your ace. Draw trumps ending on the board, play a heart to your eight, cash the heart jack, discarding a club from the dummy, and claim. Your 10 tricks are five spades, three hearts, one diamond and one club ruff on the board.
At the bridge table, an understanding of the opening lead may give us an understanding of the location of other key cards — as in this deal.
You are in four spades. West, in answer to his partner's overcall, leads the heart nine. How would you plan the play? What do you think of the bidding?
The auction was normal. If you use negative doubles (recommended), your one-spade response guaranteed at least five spades because you would have doubled with four spades. North's raise to three spades showed 15-17 total points (counting high-card and shortage points) with four-card spade support. Then you had an automatic raise to game.
You have four possible losers: two diamonds and two clubs. The obvious plan is to hope that East has the club ace. But is there any chance if West is hovering with that card, waiting to guillotine your king?
Well, read West's lead. The nine must be a singleton or, more likely, high from a doubleton. Whichever it is, East must have the king and 10 of hearts. How does this help?
Cover West's nine with dummy's queen and capture East's king with your ace. Draw trumps ending on the board, play a heart to your eight, cash the heart jack, discarding a club from the dummy, and claim. Your 10 tricks are five spades, three hearts, one diamond and one club ruff on the board.