Eddie Kantar, who left us in 2022, was one of the game’s most entertaining writers and teachers. His career in those areas was so prolific that his skills as a player (he was a world champion) were often overlooked.
Kantar played at four spades, and West led the K-A and a third diamond, giving declarer a useless ruff-sluff. West had four trumps; his idea was to attack declarer’s trump holding.
Kantar threw a club from dummy and ruffed in his hand. He led two rounds of trumps, and West played low. If Kantar led a third trump, West would win and lead a fourth diamond, forcing out dummy’s last trump. He would be left with a trump and a good diamond.
OVERRUFF
Kantar took the A-K of hearts, then ran the clubs. If West ruffed, dummy would overruff, and Kantar would lead dummy’s high hearts, losing only to West’s ace of trumps.
When West refused to ruff, dummy threw two hearts. At Trick 12 Kantar led his queen of hearts, and West could get only one more trick. Well done.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A 6 3 2 H 7 5 D A K 10 9 8 C 8 3. The dealer, at your left, opens one heart. Your partner doubles, and the next player raises to three hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your opponent’s jump-raise is weak and preemptive. Your partner promises opening values or more with support for the unbid suits, especially the other major suit. Don’t let your opponent talk you out of your rightful game. Bid four spades or cue-bid four hearts.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S K J 9 8
H A K J 10
D Q 4
C Q 5 2
WEST
S A 6 3 2
H 7 5
D A K 10 9 8
C 8 3
EAST
S 4
H 9 8 6 2
D 7 5 3 2
C 9 7 6 4
SOUTH
S Q 10 7 5
H Q 4 3
D J 6
C A K J 10
South West North East
1 C 1 D 1 H Pass
1 S Pass 4 S All Pass
Opening lead — D K
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