| Dlr: North |
♠ A K 4 |
|
| Vul: E-W |
♥ J 7 4 2 |
|
|
♦ A 2 |
|
|
♣ A Q J 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
♠ Q J 6 |
|
|
♥ A Q 5 3 |
|
|
♦ 7 6 4 |
|
|
♣ 9 6 5 |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
|
1♣ |
Pass |
1♥ |
| Pass |
4♥ |
All Pass |
|
West leads the ♦Q against your heart game. You win in dummy and play a heart at trick two. East discards. How will you get to 10 tricks on this deal?
Solution
West did exceptionally well in the auction by not doubling the final contract. Despite the bad news regarding trumps, declarer did not give up. Eventually he saw that he could make his contract if he could take six tricks in the black suits without West’s ruffing in.
Accordingly, declarer rose with the ♥A at trick two and led a low club to the 8 and jack. Next he led the ♠4 to his the queen to lead a second club to the 10 and queen. After cashing the ♣A, felling West’s king, declarer played the ♠A and ♠K. When West followed to both of these winners, declarer was almost home.
Declarer saw that leading a trump or a club at this point would not succeed, so after considering his next move, he called for dummy’s ♦2, which gave the defenders no successful countermove. If West had won the trick, he would have had to lead a trump, allowing declarer to make the ♥Q and ♥J separately for his ninth and 10th tricks.
At the table, East rose with the ♦K and played another diamond. West ruffed low and dummy’s ♥J was declarer’s ninth trick. Declarer then ducked a trump to West. The ♥Q was his 10th trick. The full deal:
| Dlr: North |
♠ A K 4 |
|
| Vul: E-W |
♥ J 7 4 2 |
|
|
♦ A 2 |
|
|
♣A Q J 2 |
|
| ♠ 9 7 2 |
|
♠ 10 8 5 2 |
| ♥ K 10 9 8 6 |
|
♥ — |
| ♦ Q J |
|
♦ K 10 9 8 5 3 |
| ♣ K 10 8 |
|
♣ 7 4 3 |
|
♠ Q J 6 |
|
|
♥ A Q 5 3 |
|
|
♦ 7 6 4 |
|
|
♣ 9 6 5 |
|
