Puzzle This

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IMPs

Dlr: South
Vul: Both
North
♠ 5 4 3
♥ 4 3
♦ A 2
♣ A Q 5 4 3 2
South
♠ A K 2
♥ A K 2
♦ K Q 6 5 4 3
♣ K

In a team game, you arrive in 6NT as South. West leads the ♥Q. What do you play at tricks two and three?

View Solution
Because this is IMP scoring, you should be concerned primarily with guaranteeing the contract. So after winning the heart lead, you should unblock the ♣K and then play a low diamond
from both hands. This protects you when both minor suits break badly:

Dlr: South
Vul: Both
North
♠ 5 4 3
♥ 4 3
♦ A 2
♣ A Q 5 4 3 2
West
♠ J 9 8
♥ Q J 10 9 5
♦ J 9 8 7
♣ 6
East
♠ Q 10 7 6
♥ 8 7 6
♦ 10
♣ J 10 9 8 7
South
♠ A K 2
♥ A K 2
♦ K Q 6 5 4 3
♣ K

You can win any return, cross to the ♦A, cash the ♣A Q (pitching the ♥2 and ♠2 from your hand) and run the remaining diamonds. True, you’ll give up an overtrick if diamonds are 3–2 or clubs are 3–3, but by playing this way, you protect yourself when they’re not.