You can overruff, but should you?

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June 13, 2012

You can overruff, but should you?

Bridge Phillip Adler The Gloucester Daily Times Wed Jun 13, 2012, 01:38 AM EDT

Ivana Trump said, "Fiction writing is great. You can make up almost anything."

Today's deal is made up and focuses on the trump suit. What should happen in four hearts after West leads the spade eight?

South's opening bid is governed by his range for two no-trump. If it promises a good 20 to 22 points, his hand is a tad strong, but it is a bigger tad shy of a two-club opening and a two-no-trump rebid. If South uses the modern 20 or 21 points, he should upgrade to two clubs, planning to rebid two no-trump. But when East overcalls in spades, South must show his five-card heart suit instead.

East takes the first two tricks in spades, then leads a third round, which South ruffs with his heart jack (or 10).

Now comes the key moment of the deal. West must discard smoothly.

Then declarer, assuming that East has the heart queen, will cash the heart ace, play a club to dummy's king, and return a heart to his 10 (or jack). But West will win the trick and exit with a heart or a diamond. Later, he will take the setting trick with his club queen.

Note that if West overruffs at trick three, declarer will be forced to rely on the club finesse and take 10 tricks via four hearts, three diamonds and three clubs.

Yes, South might take the club finesse anyway, but if it loses, a fourth round of spades will be fatal.

Unless you have something important to do, it is rarely right to overruff with an honor that can score a trick later in the play.

******

North06-13-12

SPADES 9 6 4 3

HEARTS 5 3 2

DIAMONDS 8 7 4

CLUBS K J 5

WestEast

SPADES 8 5SPADES A K Q J 10

HEARTS Q 9 6HEARTS 8 4

DIAMONDS J 9 6 5 2DIAMONDS 10 3