And People Say 1NT Contracts Are Boring

I saw some interesting bridge in the last few days but no defense was better than this one against a quiet partscore of 1NT. 

The defender we are going to watch is Subhash Gupta, one of India’s very best players.  The event is 7TH Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar Bridge Championshipheld in Indora India.  Doesn’t the name itself just conjure up imagines of something exotic and wonderful.  The part of the tournament I was watching was the team of four event for selecting the team to represent the West Zone in the summer nationals.  I believe it was called the Kalani Trophy.

Gupta

This was the first of four rounds of the final.  The teams had rather interesting names by the way.  I am not sure I fully understand the significance of the first, but I am assure it is humorous:  Maya Meera Sneha.  Gupta was playing for 3 Idiots + i. 

Here was the deal from Gupta’s perspective:

	North K1094 104 87 Q8632
Gupta QJ32 763 Q1094 J9

Partner opens 1.  RHO overcalls 1NT and this is passed out.  You lead the 4 and see this dummy.  Partner plays the K and declarer wins the A. Declarer leads the 5.  And you?  Gupta put up the Q which was covered by the K and A.  Partner returns the 2 suggesting an initial holding of 4 and you win the 9.  You play the Q, declarer discards a club from dummy.  Now?

I am not going to try to duplicate Gupta’s reasoning but I suppose one can deduce that declarer’s clubs are not solid.  Declarer is missing at least one of the top honors.  Partner can;t have too many more high cards.  If partner has the K say, the best he can have is the K to give declarer 15.  Your side has two spades, three diamonds and must find two more tricks.  It doesn’t seem likely that you can get them in hearts.  Did you find the shift to the J?  Gupta did.  Partner played the 5 and declarer won the K. Now he hopped up on the spade continuation and continued clubs.  Partner was able to win the club ace and ten.  I just said wow.  Here is the whole hand (I have rotated it).

	North K1094 104 87 Q8632
Gupta QJ32 763 Q1094 J9		East A8 9852 KJ32 A105
	South 765 AKQJ A65 K74

Do you think it would have been a little bit harder if declarer had discarded a heart or spade from dummy?