Black Day

Hand of the Week

Dlr:
West
VUL:
Both
North
♠ 9 5
10 9 4
A K 7 6 3
♣ K 7 4

South
♠ A K Q 6 4 3 2
A 5
4
♣ 6 5 3


West North East South
3 Pass Pass 4♠
All Pass

West leads the K against this sound-looking contract. East follows with the 2. You win the trick with the ace and lay down the ace of trumps. Alas, West discards a heart. Given that hearts are certain to be 7-1 and East almost certainly has the ♣A, is there any hope for a 10th trick?

Solution

When East has the ♣A, you must rely on his having no more than four diamonds:

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

After drawing two more rounds trumps with the king and queen, you should play the A and ♦K, discarding a heart from hand. Then, after ruffing the third round of diamonds, you put East on play with a trump.

When East wins and plays a top diamond, you will discard a club from hand. Then he must lead away from the ♣A. Dummy’s king will be your 10th trick.