Evening star., 1950-06-14

After making the proper choice in
the selection of the suit to develop
In today's hand, declarer was called
upon to execute a standard safety
play In order TO protect himself
against a bad break in that suit.
1t involved perhaps a little sweat,
but fortunately no tears.
South's choice of opening bids Is
worthy of note. Possession of a
five-card major suit is no bar to an
opening two-no-trump bid. This
hand meets fully with the pre-
scribed measurements. Indeed, it Is
a bare eyelash short Of standard
three-no-trump opening, and by the
same token is microscopically shy Of
what we require for an opening de-
mand bid of two hearts.
North could see at a glance that
siam was within reach, for he held
10 points in high cards alone, which,
combined with even a minimum
two-no-trulnp opening, would as
sure the partnership of at least 81
points. While 80 points would not
be quite sufficient for a slam, with
a balanced hand, when accom-
panied by a good six-card suit such
holding will frequently form the
basis for a sound slam contract.
Preferring to postpone his commit
ment, North temporized with bid
of three spades, awaiting develop
ments.
South now took occasion to show
his five-card heart suit, and North,
persuaded that his partner had
more than a minimum, leaped to
six no-trump. This was somewhat
aggressive maneuver in that it sug-
gests (after previously showing a
suit that partner bid seven If he
holds maximum two-no-trump
bid. It seems to us that bid of
five no-trump by North at this point
would have done justice to his hold
ing. South exercised outstanding
restraint in failing to contract for
a grand slam. He was deferred only
by his Indifferent holding in spades.
West opened the deuce of clubs.
With 10 top-card tricks in sight,
declarer must select between spades
and hearts for the development of
two additional tricks. With five
cards including the queen and jack
missing In both suits, the choice
would, on the surface, be reduced to
a mere guess, for if either suit broke
80 the hand could be won by the
simple expedient of giving up one
trick in that suit.
In formulating a plan of action,
however, the Al distributions, too,
should be taken into account.
Analysis showed that there was a
distinct percentage in playing for
the heart suit. If either hand con-
tanned singleton honor, that suit
could be established with the loss
of only one trick. But in the spade
suit, if there were a singleton honor
outstanding, it would avail the de-
clarer nothing unless the singleton
were specifically in the East hand,
for if West happened to have a
singleton honor, East would have
two shoppers in the suit.
Selecting hearts to develop, de-
clarer was cautious enough to
handle the suit in a manner to pro-
tect himself against a holding of
Q-J-x-x In the East hand If West
held Q-J-x-x, there could be
nothing for declarer but woe. He
first cashed the ace of hearts and
then followed with a low heart to
the 10. West showed out and East
took the trick with the jack. This
established tenace position in
declarer's hand against East's
queen, and declarer subsequently
entered dummy to f1nesse East out
of his queen of hearts and bring
the total of tricks to IL.
tCopyrisht. 1850. by Charles H. Goren)