From                   6th January, 2010, Board 32

                                          Difficulty            * * * 

                                          N-S Vul              Board Rotated for Convenience

Both you and Partner have bid your hands up to the hilt, and the resulting contract requires you to be at the top of your game.  West’s opening lead is the Spade Two (third and fifth leads), so already things are looking up.  You take East’s King with your Ace, now what?

One possibility is to cash the ♠A, ruff a Spade, and finesse the Heart, planning to lead a Club up to the King when trumps are drawn.  That works whenever the ♣A is onside and there is only one trump loser … or when the ♣A is offside but the ♥K in doubleton onside.  Can you see an extra chance?

SOLUTION

There’s little to be lost by playing on Diamonds at Trick 2, as it may be possible to build a Diamond trick for a Club pitch without letting West into the lead.  So you lead the ♦Q at Trick 2 covered by the King and Ace.  Now the ♦T is played, losing to East’s Jack.  You win the Spade return, ruff a Spade, cash the ♦9 (pitching a Club), and finesse the Heart.  When the King is onside and tripleton you lose a trump, a Diamond and a Club.  Making 10 tricks!

Suppose that the ♦Q has lost to East’s King and Spade is returned to your Ace.  Should you now finesse against the ♦J for a Club pitch?  Definitely not!  Again there is an extra chance.  Imagine the East hand with the same distribution, but also with the ♦K.  After the ♦Q loses to East’s King, you win the Spade return, ruff a Spade, and finesse the Heart.  Now you cash the ♥A and throw in East on the third round of trumps.  East is end-played!

Home     PlayArchives    BiddingArchives    Conventions