Answer to Hand of the week commencing Sunday 11th January 2009      

 

 

North Dealer

ª

 A 6

 

 

 

Both Vulnerable

©

 Q 8

 

 

 

 

¨

 A K 8 6 2

 

 

 

 

§

 10 8 5 3

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

 8 7 3 2

 

 

ª

 9 4

©

 9 6 3

 

W                          E

©

 A K J 10 5

¨

 Q 10 5

 

 

¨

 J 7

§

 7 4 2

 

 

§

 Q J 9 6

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

 K Q J 10 5

 

 

 

Lead ©3

©

 7 4 2

 

 

 

 

¨

 9 4 3

 

 

 

 

§

 A K

 

 

                           

W

N

E

S

 

1¨

1©

1ª

NO

2§

NO

2©

NO

2ª

NO

4ª

NO

NO

NO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©3 is lead and East switches to ª9 plan your play.

 

You have 9 winners in the bag- 5 trumps and 2 Ace/kings. First thought probably turn to ruffing a Heart in dummy, the short hand but the defence are sure to play another trumps when they get in. Your only hope lies in setting up a Diamond trick but you will not have an entry to dummy, if you play the suit from the top. If you draw trumps and then play Diamonds the opposition will cash three Heart tricks and take you one off.

So that you can keep you heart losers to no more than two, do not draw trumps immediately. Win the trump continuation and immediately duck a Diamond. (you have made allowances for a Diamond and two Heart losers.)  Presumably the defence will play another trump. You are now home and dry and can claim 5 trumps, 2 top Diamonds, 2 Top clubs and 1 or2 established Diamonds, and you have never put the contract at risk.

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