From 14th March, 2007, Board 28 Theme Elimination Play An Extra Chance Difficulty * * * Dlr North E-W Vul Hands Rotated
for Convenience
North’s 2♣ bid was Drury.
West leads the Spade Six, won on the board. Now, the Heart finesse is lost, and West returns the Diamond Two, to East’s Ten and your King. Trumps are drawn in two more rounds, West pitching two low Spades.
You’ve lost a Heart, and there is a certain Diamond loser. Do you rely on the Club finesse for 11 tricks, or is there something better?
SOLUTION
One obvious line of play is to cash the A♦, and exit a Diamond, hoping that Diamonds are 3-3 and that West has to win the third round. Now, one Club goes on the 13th Diamond, and West’s return will take care of the second potential Club loser.
Can you improve on that? Yes, in one subtle way. Before playing on Diamonds, cash one Club, as a precaution against East holding a singleton Club.
East wins the third round of Diamonds, but the farsighted removal of his singleton Club has end-played him into giving away a ruff and a sluff. Making 11 tricks.
Keys to Success - Spotting that it may be possible to avoid the Diamond finesse through an end-play against West - Further realizing that it may be East that can be end-played if he has a singleton Club - Cashing one high Club, and throwing in the opponents on the third round of Diamonds
Postscript Note that giving ourselves that extra chance by cashing one Club did not cost anything. If East has won the Diamond and been able to return a Club we would still have the option of the Club finesse.
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