Ruffing winners
By Djanwar Madjolelo
JAKARTA (JP): Charles Peres of the Chicago team read the situation perfectly on this deal from the Grand National Teams semifinal against San Francisco:
Dealer : West
Vulnerable: All
NORTH
(S) K 7 4 3
(H) 9 3
(D) K Q 10 9
(C) A 3 2
WEST EAST
(S) A Q 10 (S) 6 2
(H) A J 4 3 (H) K Q 10 6 5
(D) A 8 7 5 4 (D) J 6 3
(C) K 6 (C) Q 9 7
SOUTH
(S) J 9 8 5
(H) 8 7 2
(D) 2
(C) J 10 8 5 4
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Martell Rotman Stanby Peres
1D Pass 1H Pass
2NT Pass 3C Pass
3H Pass 3NT Pass
4H All pass
Peres was playing with Dan Rotman. Their opponents were Chip Martell and Lew Stansby.
The 3 Clubs bid was a checkback and 3 Hearts showed three Hearts. Stansby, East, gave Martell a choice by bidding 3 NT and Martell elected 4 Hearts.
Peres led his singleton Diamond and Declarer called for the Ace from dummy. Stansby realized the Diamond danger, so he tried to counter the peril by immediately leading the King of Clubs. Rotman took this and led the Queen of Diamonds.
Peres saw what was happening, so be ruffed Rotman's good trick to push a spade through. Now there was no way to prevent the defense from taking four tricks -- the Club Ace and Diamond ruff plus the King of Spades and another Diamond.
Stansby would have made the hand if Peres had not ruffed. Peres could have ruffed out the Jack of Diamonds on the next trick but declarer would have gone up with the Ace of Spades on the return, cashed the Queen of Clubs and ruffed a Club, ruffed a Diamond high, cashed the Ace and King of Hearts and used the long Diamonds to ditch his losing Spades.
What if Peres decided not to ruff at all? Rotman could have cashed the top Diamonds and probably switched to a trump. Stansby could win in dummy, ruff a Diamond high, ruff a Club, draw the rest of the trumps and go to the Ace of Spades to cash the winning Diamond.
Yes, it's true that Rotman could have made it easier by leading a low Diamond at trick three.