BRIDGE with Bob Jones

Match point bridge requires some decisions that are not needed in social bridge. Those who enjoy making those decisions play duplicate bridge and those that don’t play social bridge or rubber bridge. Today’s deal offers an example.

An opening diamond lead would have prevented any chance for an overtrick, but there was no indication pointing West to that lead. West continued with the queen of hearts at trick two, won by dummy’s king as declarer shed a low diamond. The 10 of spades was led, South following with the seven as West won his king. The heart continuation was ruffed with the eight and the ace of spades was cashed. The 2-2 trump split meant that the carefully preserved three of spades could be used as an entry to dummy.

Declarer crossed to dummy with the ace of diamonds and led a club to his queen, winning the trick. What to do now? 10 tricks would be assured by cashing the ace of clubs and leading another club. The last club could be ruffed in dummy. This play would produce an overtrick if East started with a doubleton king of clubs and would be safe for 10 tricks in all other cases. Alternatively, South could cross back to dummy with the six of spades and take the club finesse again. There would be an overtrick if East started with three clubs to the king, but would lose the contract if West had the king of clubs and the suit split poorly. What’s your choice? Duplicate or social?