| Dlr: West |
♠ A J 10 4 |
|
| Vul: N-S |
♥ A K 9 8 4 |
|
|
♦ 8 |
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♣ A K Q |
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♠ 7 3 2 |
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♥ J 10 7 3 |
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♦ 6 3 2 |
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♣ 7 4 3 |
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| West |
North |
East |
South |
| 1♦ |
Dbl |
Pass |
1♥ |
| 2♦ |
4♥ |
All Pass |
|
West leads the ♦K against your spade game. When it holds, he continues with the ♦Q. How will you get to 10 tricks?
Solution
This deal came up in a teams match and the auction was the same at both tables. The opening lead and continuation were also the same.
The first declarer ruffed the second diamond with dummy’s ♥4 and cashed the top two trumps. When West discarded a diamond, declarer knew he was in trouble, and had to rely on West having the ♠K and ♠Q.
Declarer cashed the three top clubs then led the ♠J from dummy. West took this with the king and forced dummy by exiting with the jack of diamonds. Declarer ruffed then played dummy’s remaining trump to East’s queen. East now led the ♣9, which declarer ruffed. When a spade to the jack lost to East’s queen, declarer was down one.
The second declarer saw that he would need entries to hand if he wanted to take two finesses in spades, so he ruffed the second diamond with dummy’s ♥K and led a low trump from the table. After his ♥7 held the trick (it is no better for the defense for East to win with the ♥Q), declarer led a low spade to the 6, 10 and East’s queen. East exited with a diamond, which was ruffed low in dummy.
Declarer cashed the ♥A, followed by the three top clubs. East was put on lead with a trump to his queen and he could do no better than exit with the 13th club. Declarer ruffed this in hand and threw the ♠4 from dummy. As expected, a spade to the jack won and this declarer made 10 tricks. The full deal:
| Dlr: West |
♠ A J 10 4 |
|
| Vul: N-S |
♥ A K 9 8 4 |
|
|
♦ 8 |
|
|
♣ A K Q |
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| ♠ K 9 6 |
|
♠ Q 8 5 |
| ♥ 5 |
|
♥ Q 6 2 |
| ♦ A K Q J 7 4 |
|
♦ 10 9 5 |
| ♣ J 10 8 |
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♣ 9 6 5 2 |
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♠ 7 3 2 |
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♥ J 10 7 3 |
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♦6 3 2 |
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♣ 7 4 3 |
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