JEC’s table

Jimmy Cayne plays a lot of team games.  The team games are invitation only and the players and opponents are very good.  It usually draws a crowd of kibbitzers.  I wasn’t planning to blog today but I happened to be watching a deal in a JEC team game and I have to say I was impressed with the defence of a fellow called Andrew Gumperz.  He was playing with Michael Crawford  against Steve Beatty and allan Falk.  Here was the deal:

Dealer: Vul:	Crawford ♠ AKJ10  ♥ J4  ♦ J873  ♣ 652
Beatty  ♠ Q4  ♥ AQ986  ♦ AQ5  ♣ AJ7		Falk  ♠ 982   ♥ 10762  ♦ 964  ♣ Q43
	Gumperz ♠ 7653   ♥ K3  ♦ K102  ♣ K1098

The opening lead was the ♠K and Crawford continued with the ♠A and ♠J.  Beatty ruffed the third round.  Now Beatty knew that Gumperz had to have the ♣K because of Crawford’s initial pass so he lead the ♣J hoping to get to dummy for a red suit finesse.  Now it was up to Gumperz.  If he takes the ♣K he knows that Beatty will be able to get to dummy.    He also knows that he can’t count on Crawford for many more high cards.  Once Beatty has a dummy entry he can finesse the ♥K, cash the ♥A and enter dummy on a heart to finesse the ♦K.  So it simply can’t be right to win the club.    So Gumperz ducked. 

Once that ploy failed Beatty played the ♣A and another throwing Gumperz on lead.  So Gumperz made another logical play.  He knew a heart would be fatal so he returned the ♦10 giving Beatty the diamond finesse.  Beatty won the diamond and hoping to endplay somebody played the ♦A and another diamond.  Gumperz dumped his ♦K under the ♦A and when Crawford won the ♦J he ruffed the fourth diamond with the ♥K promoting the ♥J in Crawford’s hand.  It is slightly more accurate to keep the ♦K and win the third diamond.  If partner has the ♥J (and without that you cannot defeat the hand) then a fourth club will promote a trump trick for the defence as well.  This play will work when Beatty has the ♦J as well.  Still a very pretty defence and one that deserved to be applauded by the kibbitzers.

The deal is interesting because Gumperz has to duck the club knowing that when he does he will be endplayed and forced to give declarer a finesse anyway.  But by ducking he picks which red suit finesse to give to declarer.  I particularly appreciate good defence because it really is the hardest part of the game.