Hand of the week commencing
Sunday 10th February 2008
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South
Dealer |
ª |
7
3
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Neither
Vulnerable |
© |
J |
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¨ |
K
8 6 4 2 |
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§ |
A
Q 8 6 2 |
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N |
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ª |
8
4 2
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ª |
J
5 |
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© |
10
7 6 5 |
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W
E |
© |
A
Q 9 4 3 2 |
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¨ |
J
9 5 |
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¨ |
Q
7 3 |
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§ |
10
9 7 |
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§ |
K
3 |
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S |
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ª |
A
K Q 10 9 6 |
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Lead
©5 |
© |
K
8 |
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¨ |
A
10 |
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§ |
J
5 4 |
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W |
N |
E |
S |
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1ª
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NO |
2¨
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2© |
3ª |
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NO |
4ª |
NO
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NO |
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NO |
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The
contract is 4ª
West leads ©5.
East wins first trick and switches to a trump. Playing Match Points what is best
way to try and make 12 tricks here ?
After the trump switch you now have an initial count of 7 winners – 3
trumps, 1 Heart (since Ace has gone), 2 Diamonds and 1 club. If the trumps break
32 then you will win 3 further trumps bringing the tally to 10. If the club
finesse works you will only obtain one more unless the King is doubleton with
West. However if the Diamonds break 33 then we can bring the Diamond suit in for
two more tricks without relying on the 50% club finesse. We will need the club
finesse to be right if the Diamonds break 42. With all this information at our
disposal we will negotiate the Diamond suit first so that the less appealing
Club finesse can still be taken later.
We draw trumps in 3 rounds and then play 3 rounds of Diamonds. With the
Diamonds breaking 33 we are now home since we still have the Club Ace on table
to the established Diamonds. We will amass 5 trumps, 1 Heart, 2 Diamonds, 1
Diamond ruffed, 2 established diamonds and 1 club.