My
partner (Bobby Wolff) had a good idea of the distribution
from the bidding and carefully cashed
the ace of clubs,
before exiting a trump. We eventually scored a diamond trick to set the contract.
At
the other table South didn't bid diamonds, but East returned
the 9
when he gave a ruff. West
then returned a diamond and the club king disappeared on a high heart (declarer had played the
9 under the ace, so later was able to reach dummy leading the 5 to the 7). West
was wrong not
to cash the ace of clubs first, because if partner held the ace of diamonds, it couldn't hurt to cash
the club trick. And if South was void in clubs, East didn't have the ace of diamonds
(otherwise he
would hold two aces and the K-J-x-x of clubs and would not have passed as dealer). Nevertheless,
East had to share the blame for screaming for a diamond return.
My
tip is simpler than the hand: Don't over signal and don't rely solely on a signal. |