-
presents Professor IMP's WeeklyMaster
Class #23 To
Prof. IMP Index
|
- |
'Chinese Rejection' |
IMPs. Red against white and North dealer, Professor IMP was South holding:
10 8 6 4 2 
A
Q 6 
6 3 
A
6 5
His partner opened 1,
RHO overcalled with 2
(which might be extremely weak at this vulnerability) and Professor
IMP responded 2.
LHO bid 3 and North rebid 4,
showing a strong hand with good diamonds (probably six) and four card
spade support. Professor IMP figured that his partner easily could
have something like AKQx xx AKQxxx x.
With such a hand even a grand slam was possible. He proceeded with
4 (cuebid). West doubled,
however, and North immediately signed off at 4,
the weakest bid available. Still, Professor IMP saw good chances
for a small slam and after checking for key cards he closed the auction
with 6. West led the J
and this dummy came into view:
-
|
-
|
|||||||||||||||
As the Jack could be from KJ10 declarer tried the Queen, which held the trick when East followed with the eight.
Looking at dummy, Professor IMP was a little disappointed, though
the first trick was not bad at all. The first thing that occurred to him
was to simply finesse in spades and hearts. But how to enter his hand in
order to finesse in trumps?
With a club? East might ruff already on first occasion.
With the heart finesse? The (foolish) double of 4
indicated that the K
was likely badly placed.
Or in diamonds with possible overruffs? Moreover, was it really necessary
to take a finesse in the trump suit?
Suddenly the Guru was hit by a stroke of genius. His view of the East
hand got clearer by the second and suddenly he decided to reject the idea
of taking the spade finesse.
East was bound to have six low hearts and a singleton club. Suppose
he had something like a doubleton spade (with or without the K),
then East must have been dealt four diamonds.
Therefore Professor IMP continued with the A
and the Q. It didn't
make any difference which hand won the K,
the contract was always made with the trumps 2-2. Suppose East wins and
switches to hearts. Declarer would win the Ace and cash the A
first to get a count. If East shows out, then he cashes two high diamonds
(and has to hope that an honour drops) and continues with a ruffing finesse
in diamonds through East.
The same line can be taken if West has two or three spades.
'And when East possesses K-third?'.
One of Professor IMP students had just come back from the Friendship
Store loaded with silk ties and kimonoes and started to ask silly questions.
'In that case you have to play East for a three card diamond holding.
Rather elementary, young man!'
In real life this was the full deal:
-
-
|
- | |||||||||||
A
and Q, endplaying
West.
Post Mortem 2.
A Chinese rejection applies when a finesse would have worked
but should be avoided; more of less the opposite of the Chinese finesse
so to speak.
To
IMP Bridge Index
-
---