JOHNNY COMES GOOD YET AGAIN

..................

Let's face it, bridge blog readers are blessed to have

write-ups about the way Johnny performs at the table. He is without doubt a man of pure logic and reasoning. Nothing then illustrates his amazing ability to accurately read and assess the situation....... than the hand shown opposite.

Many declarers found themselves in a doomed 4S contract, but wiser declarers sitting South settled for 3NT, which was making all over the place......except where Johnny was sitting. Having opened the bidding ( as East ) with one diamond, his partner had no problems finding the 9 of diamonds lead. All the declarers were inserting dummy's 10, with most Easts adopting the knee-jerking play by covering with the queen, which of course was allowed to hold. Although diamonds could be continued, declarer was in control. Spades could be attacked in the knowledge that if the missing honours were split, West had no diamonds left in his hand, once he was in with the King. This enabled declarers to scramble home with 3S, 2H,2D, and 2C.

But did The Man cover the 10 of diamonds with the queen ? Not a chance ! He too pinned his hopes on getting West in again to lead a second round of diamonds. So when declarer led the queen of spades at trick 2, West steamed in to take the trick with his King to quickly fire back the diamond 5. No matter what declarer did now, Johnny had beaten the contract by taking 5 tricks in all : 3D and 2S.