kantarbridge.com
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North |
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♠ J 4 |
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♥ Q 10 |
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♦ K Q 7 6 5 |
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♣ J 4 3 2 |
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South |
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♠ A 10 8 3 |
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♥ K J 9 |
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♦ A 3 2 |
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♣ A 10 9 |
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After a routine 1NT-3NT, West leads the ♥4 and East plays the ♥2, count. You win the trick in dummy with the 10 and can be pretty sure from East’s deuce that West has led from ace-fifth, and East has three small. This is a toughie. Plan the play.
If diamonds divide 3-2, you will always make 3NT, but what if they don’t? Time for the ‘just in case’ Plan B. Try a low club to the 10 at trick two. Say it loses and another low heart comes back. Now you dare not let them in again. Test the diamonds by playing the AK. If both follow, take your nine tricks. If someone shows out on the second diamond, you’ll be glad there was a Plan B. Repeat the club finesse. If you can bring clubs in for three tricks, using dummy’s remaining diamond entry to cash the 13th club, you have nine tricks without the diamonds.
Tip #1: If you can keep your long suit (your ace in the hole suit) in reserve and attack another suit first, trying to establish extra needed tricks in case your ace in the hole suit turns out to be a deuce in the hole suit, do it!
Tip #2: Before eagerly attacking your strongest suit, at least ask yourself what is to become of you if the suit doesn’t break evenly? Yes, it’s an unpleasant thought, but the road to becoming a better player includes preparing for unpleasant surprises. It can never hurt to have a plan B. It’s like having a strong bench.
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♠ J 4 |
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♥ Q J 10 |
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♦ K Q 7 6 5 |
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♣ J 4 3 2 |
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| ♠ K 9 5 2 |
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♠ Q 7 6 |
| ♥ A 8 7 4 3 |
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♥ 6 5 2 |
| ♦ 9 |
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♦ J 10 8 4 |
| ♣ Q 8 6 |
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♣ K 7 5 |
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♠ A 10 8 3 |
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♥ K J 9 |
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♦ A 3 2 |
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♣ A 10 9 |
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