| Dlr: South | ♠ Q 10 5 3 | |
| Vul: Both | ♥ 7 4 | |
| ♦ A 10 7 6 4 | ||
| ♣ 9 4 | ||
| ♠ K 4 2 | ||
| ♥ A K 3 | ||
| ♦ Q J 8 2 | ||
| ♣ A K 6 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 2NT (1) | |||
| Pass | 3♣ | Pass | 3♦ |
| Pass | 3NT | All Pass |
(1) 20-22
West leads the ♥5 against your notrump game. East plays the ♥10. What is your plan for taking nine tricks?
Solution
This deal was played in a teams match with identical, simple-Stayman auctions at each table. Both West players led a fourth-highest ♥5. At the first table, declarer ducked East’s ♥10.
On the bidding and play to the first trick, East placed West with the ♥Q and consequently saw that there was no future in continuing hearts. Instead, he shifted to the ♣Q.
Declarer won in hand with the ♣K and played a spade to the queen. East won with the ace and continued with the ♣J to declarer’s ace. Next, declarer ran the ♦Q. East won the ♦Q and cashed two club tricks to defeat the contract.
At the other table, declarer saw the danger of a club shift if he allowed East to hold the first trick, so he took the ♥10 with his king. At trick two, he led the ♠K. East could do no better than to win the trick with the ace and continue with the ♥J, hoping that his partner had a six-card suit.
When declarer played low on the ♥J, West overtook with the ♥Q to shift to a spade. He knew from the auction that his partner had at least four spades.
Declarer rose with dummy’s ♠Q to limit the defense to at most two tricks in the suit, crossed to hand with the ♣K and ran the ♦Q diamonds to East’s king. East saw that cashing the ♠J would give declarer an overtrick, so he exited with the ♣Q. Declarer took this with the ace and claimed his contract: he had made one spade, two hearts, four diamonds and two clubs. The full deal:
| Dlr: South | ♠ Q 10 5 3 | |
| Vul: Both | ♥ 7 4 | |
| ♦ A 10 7 6 4 | ||
| ♣ 9 4 | ||
| ♠ 8 6 | ♠ A J 9 7 | |
| ♥ Q 9 8 5 2 | ♥ J 10 6 | |
| ♦ 5 3 | ♦ K 9 | |
| ♣ 7 5 3 2 | ♣ Q J 10 8 | |
| ♠ K 4 2 | ||
| ♥ A K 3 | ||
| ♦ Q J 8 2 | ||
| ♣ A K 6 |