Dealer: S Vul: E/W
NORTH
♠ KJ10754
♥ —
♦ AK43
♣ QJ7
WEST EAST
♠ 632 ♠ 9
♥ 83 ♥ J108652
♦ 9762 ♦ QJ85
♣ AK54 ♣ 83
SOUTH
♠ AQ8
♥ AKQ74
♦ 10
♣ 10962
Hobson’s Choice pops up on a routine basis is bridge. All North/South players faced this problem on Board 3 last Friday. Both 4S and 3NT are viable contracts – but which will achieve the higher score? For the same number of tricks, 3NT will deliver the higher score, but in 4S North can trump any heart played by East or West. All but one pair chose to play in 4S. At the other table, the bidding went 1H from South then 1S by North. As North’s bid promised only four spades at this stage, Len Don (South) replied 1NT. Trusting partner, North raised the bidding to 3NT, which became the contract.
West cashed the two top clubs and exited with a diamond. Declarer now had winners to spare.
Playing the Queen of clubs under the King would have created two winning clubs in dummy, but declarer could already count six certain tricks in spades, three in hearts and two in diamonds.
Plus 460 beat the 450 for those pairs in 4S who also won eleven tricks. One East/West had the misfortune to be the victim of the lead of the eight of clubs. West won the Ace and King, then played a low club for partner to trump. This held declarer to ten tricks and a score of only 420.
East had a three-pronged Hobson’s choice. All East players knew where eleven of the hearts were and could have chosen to lead a heart in the hope of finding partner with a void. A diamond might have set up a trick or two. The unlikely eight of clubs proved to be the winner.
When your opponent is the only one to choose the best lead there is nothing you can do about it.
Results, Monday, 13/04/26 (5 & 1/2-table Howell): P. Kelly M Simpson (65.4) 1; N. Collins D. Moran (56.1) 2; N. Bonnell K. Bradfield (54.2) 3 P. Campbell T. Hinde (52.1) 4. Friday, 17/04/26 (4 & 1/2-table Howell): N. Collins M. Simpson (61.8) 1; M. Warren B. Warren (56.9) 2; J. Smith N. McGinness (53.5).
