Dilemma coup
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Connect with friends and sharpen your grey cells with our fortnightly column on bridge. L. SUBRAMANIAN
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One common problem defenders often face is whether or not to play the ace when declarer leads towards a high honour. To play the ace in air, so to speak, may allow declarer’s honours to take seperate tricks and to wait with the ace may enable the declarer to effect an end play later in the game, as witness the deal below from actual play in an IMP match:
Play so far.... west led the diamond two, an obvious singleton. East won and returned the suit for his partner to ruff, declarer carefully unblocking the jack from dummy. West exited in a trump. It appears that the contract is headed for defeat, as there is a loser each in spades and clubs.
Watch the expert in action:
Play After removing trumps with the ace and queen, declarer played the spade three! from his hand at trick five. West played the ten and dummy won with the queen. The diamond finesse was taken and declarer discarded a spade on the king. The last six-card position was:
Declarer exited in spade king now. West won… but was end played to give a ruff and discard or lead away from club king.
If west goes with the ace when the first spade is led, declarer will be able to discard his club loser on the spade queen.
This play is called a ‘dilemma coup’. West is in a dilemma when a spade is led at trick five: to win the trick with the ace or play second hand low. Whatever he does, he loses. What a beautiful name for a wonderful coup!
The complete hands are:
E-mail: ls_sssent@yahoo.co.in
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