| Dlr: West |
♠ A J 10 8 4 |
|
| Vul: Both |
♥ A J 5 |
|
|
♦ A 7 6 3 |
|
|
♣ 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
♠ K Q |
|
|
♥ Q 8 6 3 2 |
|
|
♦ Q 4 |
|
|
♣ K 9 3 2 |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| 1♣ |
1♠ |
Pass |
2♥ |
| Pass |
4♥ |
All Pass |
|
Against your heart game, West leads the ♠9. You win in hand and play a low heart to the jack, which holds. When you cash the ♥A, East discards. Now what?
Solution
Declarer was not too bothered about the trump split. As West was certain to have the ♣A and the ♦K for for his opening bid, declarer’s thoughts turned to endplaying West with a trump.
With that in mind, declarer cashed the ♠A and continued with the ♠J, throwing a club from hand. West also parted with a low club, so declarer continued with the ♠10, throwing
a second club from hand. West postponed the inevitable by discarding the ♦8. It was to no avail, however, as declarer next played the ♥5 to his 6 and West’s 10. West cashed the ♥K but then had to broach a minor suit. In the end, he chose to lead the ♦K because his partner had not signaled encouragingly in clubs.
Declarer claimed 10 tricks: five spades, three trumps and two diamonds. The full deal:
| Dlr: West |
♠ A J 10 8 4 |
|
| Vul: Both |
♥ A J 5 |
|
|
♦ A 7 6 3 |
|
|
♣ Q4 |
|
| ♠ 9 7 |
|
♠ 6 5 3 2 |
| ♥ K 10 9 7 |
|
♥ 4 |
| ♦ K J 8 |
|
♦ 10 9 5 2 |
| ♣ A Q 8 7 |
|
♣ J 10 6 5 |
|
♠ K Q |
|
|
♥ Q 8 6 3 2 |
|
|
♦ Q 4 |
|
|
♣ K 9 3 2 |
|
