Dame Fortune

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Hand of the Week

Dlr:
North
Vul:
E-W
North
♠ —
♥ K 9 7 2
♦ K 9 8 2
♣ A K 7 4 3
South
♠ A K J 10 9 6 5 3
♥ —
♦ 7 4 3
♣ 10 6
West North East South
1♣ 1♥ 4♠
All Pass

West leads the ♥3 after this unremarkable auction. How do you propose to make 10 tricks when spades are 3-2 but the queen of trumps has not appeared after you cash your ♠A and ♠K?

View Solution

You have nine winners and it seems you must rely on West holding the ♦A. However, you can give yourself an extra chance when East has the ♠Q.

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

After discarding a diamond and a heart from dummy on the top two trumps, cash the ♣A and ♣K and ruff a club. As long as East began with the ♠Q and no more than three clubs, your contract is assured. Lead the ♠J and discard a minor-suit card from table. East wins and has to return a diamond or a heart. If it is the former, the ♦K will be your tenth trick. When he opts for the latter, discard a diamond from hand – even if he plays the ♥A. After East’s ♥A holds the trick, he must then give a trick, your 10th, to one of dummy’s red kings.