ANSofhandofweek

Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 10th May 2026

Plan your play in 3NT after the ♥Queen is led

Dealer: West NS VUL

If you would like to play this out click here

♠	A K 6 2
♥	K 8 6 5
♦	K 4
♣	10 4 2

♠	10 5
♥	Q² 10 7
♦	Q 8 5 3
♣	9 8 7 6

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	8 7 4 3
♥	J 4 2
♦	A J 6 2
♣	K J

♠	Q J 9
♥	A 9 3
♦	10 9 7
♣	A Q 5 3

W	N	E	S
Pass	1♣¹	Pass	3NT
End

1. Playing 5 card Majors Better Minor 2. Probably trying to FIND PARTNER after the opponents don't bid either Major

When this hand was played against me, I think declarer gave up at trick 1 and eventually went one down and was unable to establish those elusive 8th and 9th tricks when the Diamond finesse failed.

Let's now replay.

Counting your winners you have 4 spades, 2 Hearts and 1 Club so you will need two more. It seems that both the Diamond and club finesses need to be winning to bring the total to nine. Which finesse do we take first?

If we take the Diamond fines first and it fails we no longer have any controlling card in that suit, so we will take the Club finesse first and thats why we win first trick with dummy's ♥Queen.

This wins Club finesse works, BUT more importantly East follows suit with the Jack. What do you make of that?

2nd person plays low but East follows with the Jack at trick 2 - any conclusions here? OH East seems to have a doubleton KJ . Let's play the top Club now and see. East follows with the King and suddenly that 10 in dummy is now a winner and you can claim your contract.

You win 4 Spades, 2 Hearts 1 Club and 2 established Clubs.

You can watch the film being played out by going to www.haroldschogger.com/1309/1309.mp4