January 2024 - 58

Intermediate Players
Boehm on Bridge
Par excellence - part 3
I
magine that you have entered a
par tournament where the idea is
to achieve a predetermined optimum
result and score par points, both
in the bidding and the play. The goal of
par tournaments is to develop cardplay
technique. Assume rubber bridge
where overtricks are inconsequential.
Dummy
s K 2
h K 4 3
d J 9 4 2
c 8 6 3 2
Declarer (You)
s A 7 6 5 3
h A 8 6 2
d 3
c A K 7
The bidding par, 10, is to stop in 2s
or 1NT (not possible playing forcing
1NT responses, and extremely unlikely
even if 1NT isn't forcing). 2NT
and 3h/3s contracts earned 6. The
opening lead is the sQ. Plan the play.
If either major divides 3-3, no problem,
so plan for the more likely 4-2.
Ruffing the fourth heart in dummy
won't work, especially after the
trump lead - the defense can simply
play a second trump when on lead
with their heart winner. Depending
on 3-3 clubs is bucking the odds. The
solution is to score extra trump tricks
by ruffing two diamonds in your
hand. That's a good start but there
is an entry problem to be resolved.
If you instinctively take the first
spade in the dummy (the short hand)
and lead a diamond, the defense can
easily put you back in your hand. This
leaves you an entry short (only the
hK) to reach dummy twice to ruff two
58 | Bridge Bulletin | January 2024
s Q J 10 9
h J 9 7 5
d K 10 7
c J 5
s A 7 6 5 3
h A 8 6 2
d 3
c A K 7
The correct timing allows you to
enter dummy with the preserved sK
for the first diamond ruff; the hK connects
you for the second ruff. In all,
you win two top spades, two diamond
ruffs, two hearts, and two clubs.
In the next deal you are East defending
4s.
North (Dummy)
s -
h 10 8 6 3 2
d A K Q J
c K 9 5 2
East (You)
s 7 5
h A J 4
d 6 4 3
c A Q 6 4 3
South opened 1s and jumped to 4s
over North's 2h response. The lead is
the c8, declarer ducks, you win the
queen, declarer following with the
jack. Take over from here.
If the lead is a singleton, four tricks
will materialize via a club ruff as long
as declarer isn't void in hearts, which
he probably isn't. In any event, you
s J 4 2
h K 9 7 5
d 10 7 5 2
c 8 7
diamonds. The sA at trick one earns
most of the par points; a diamond at
trick two scores the rest.
s K 2
h K 4 3
d J 9 4 2
c 8 6 3 2
s 8 4
h Q 10
d A Q 8 6 5
c Q 10 9 4
BY AUGUST BOEHM
continue the cA, everyone follows.
What now?
A third club looks natural to try to
promote a trump trick for partner, but
declarer may sluff a side-suit loser
instead of ruffing, and that side-suit
loser can only be in hearts. Swapping
a club ruff for a heart trick is a
no-gainer. To collect the maximum
par points and defeat the contract,
cash the hA before playing the third
club. The full deal:
s -
h 10 8 6 3 2
d A K Q J
c K 9 5 2
s 7 5
h A J 4
d 6 4 3
c A Q 6 4 3
s A K Q 10 9 8 6 3
h Q
d 9 8
c J 10
The correct sequence on defense -
cQ, cA, hA, low club - leaves declarer
without recourse. Deprived of the
discard option, he is compelled to ruff,
and whether he ruffs with the 10 or a
high honor, partner will score the sJ.
Note that partner should discourage
a heart continuation when he
wants a trump promotion. If declarer's
hand was instead:
sA K Q J 10 9 8 3 hQ 7 d9 cJ 10,
it would be necessary to continue
hearts at trick four rather than seek a
hopeless trump promotion.
The creator of this challenge and
others in this series is Jeff Rubens
who titled this deal " Time Out, " suggesting
to look before leaping at the
first thought. 2
January 2024

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