Archives - Morton's Fork

Morton's Fork

A Morton's Fork is a choice of unpleasant alternatives. The most common example is when Declarer leads towards the King or Queen in a suit, and the defender can either duck the Ace and not score it at all or he can jump up with the Ace and set up an extra winner for Declarer. Here are some examples.

Related Play Problems Play Problem 20

Play Problem 41

Play Problem 202

Related Extracts from Past Wednesday Games

♠ 872

♥ A64

♦ K543

♣ K95

From 9th May, 2007

♠ AQ965

♥ K7

♦ QT97

♣ A3

          North

West             East

          South

♠ JT4

♥ Q85

♦ A2

♣ QT842

Dlr North
Vul Both

♠ K3

♥ JT932

♦ J86

♣ J76

West North East South

Pass Pass Pass

1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass

3♦ Pass 4♠ All Pass

Against 4♠, North can give Declarer an easy route to 11 tricks with any side-suit lead. What makes Declarer really work hard for that 11^th trick is a trump lead. Dummy’s Jack wins the trick, now a low Spade to the King and the Ace. The doubleton K♠ has given Dummy an extra entry which can put to good use. He leaves that enemy trump out for the time being and cashes the A♣, then leads a low Club towards the board. North ducks smoothly (nice play!) and Dummy’s Ten loses to the Jack. South shifts to the J♥, Declarer plays low, and North is placed in a Morton’s Fork dilemma:

- if she jumps up with the Ace, Declarer will eventually ruff out the Clubs and score 5 trumps, 2 Hearts, a Diamond, and 3 Clubs (Declarer ends up losing no Diamonds)

- if she plays low, Dummy’s Q♥ wins, the Clubs are ruffed out, then a Spade to Dummy’s Jack, the Clubs are cashed (Declarer’s Heart loser disappearing), and now a Diamond towards Declarer’s hand for 11 tricks.

♠ AT8

♥ 7

♦ KQJ642

♣ Q98

20th February, 2008

♠ Q2

♥ AT986

♦ A9

♣ T763

          North

West             East

          South

♠ J9743

♥ K83

♦ 5

♣ KJ54

Dlr North
Vul Both

♠ K85

♥ QJ42

♦ T873

♣ A2

West North East South

1♦ Pass 1♥

Pass 2♦ Pass 3♦

Pass Pass Pass

Playing in Diamonds, let’s say that East finds the best lead of a low Spade. Now it may seem that Declarer must lose a trick in each suit. Not so! Declarer wins the Ace in her hand, and immediately leads a Heart, presenting East with a dilemma:

- If East wins the King and continues Spades, Declarer wins in Dummy, and leads the Q♥, covered by the Ace and ruffed. Now the Spade loser disappears on the J♥. Making 10 tricks!

- If East ducks that Heart, then West wins the Ace, and returns a Spade, won in Dummy. Now a Heart ruff, over to the A♣ and another Heart ruff, felling East’s King. Now Dummy has established a Heart, but has no entry to the board. She loses a Diamond to West, and gets lucky when (a) West has no Spades left, (b) East has no trump left with which to ruff out Dummy’s Heart winner. Again, making 10 tricks!