When 4=3

Dlr:
West
Vul:
N-S
North
♠ K 10 8 5 4 3
6 5 4
J
♣ A Q 2
South
♠ A 9
K 8 7 3 2
A 4 3 2
♣ 10 3
West North East South
1♠ Pass 2
Pass 3 Pass 4
All Pass

Tim Bourke is well known as a writer and collector of bridge books. On this deal from the Australian National Open Teams in 2004, he demonstrated that he knows a thing or two about taking tricks. Bourke was South. The deal was reported by Richard Oshlag.

West led the ♣5 and, despite four natural trump losers, Bourke managed to take 10 tricks!

Bourke played the ♣Q at trick one, played a diamond to the ace and ruffed a diamond. After a spade to the ace and another diamond ruff, he cashed the ♠K. Next came the ♣A and a club ruff in hand with the 2.

Bourke then led his last diamond, hoping to ruff it in dummy, but West ruffed in with the 9 and dummy discarded a spade. This was the position:

Dlr:
Vul:
North
♠ 10 8 5
6
West
A J 10
♣ K
East
♠ Q
Q
K
♣ J
South
K 8 7 3

Hoping for the best, West played the ♣K. If Bourke won the trick in hand, he would have to lead away from the ♥K, allowing East to win the singleton Q. West would be poised to take the last two tricks with the A J.

Bourke, however, knew what to do. He ruffed the ♣K in dummy with the 6 and underruffed with the 3 in his hand! He had nine tricks at that point. At trick 11, he played a spade from dummy, and when East played the queen, Bourke ruffed low. West had to overruff and was forced to concede a trick to Bourke’s trump king at the end.

The full deal:

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