Answer to

Hand of the week commencing Sunday 12th August 2007  

Playing MP’s, assuming trumps break favorably

 how do you guarantee 11 tricks after ª5 lead ?

 

 

Dealer South

ª

K Q 10 8 6

 

 

 

Love All

©

 Q 3

 

 

 

 

¨

 J 9

 

 

 

 

§

 A 8 4 2

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

  7  5  

 

 

ª

 9 3

©

 K 8 5 4

 

W                          E

©

 10 7 6 2

¨

 5 4

 

 

¨

 A 10 8 6 2

§

 K Q 9 7 3

 

 

§

 J 10

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

 A J 4 2

 

 

 

Lead ª5

©

 A J 9

 

 

 

 

¨

K Q 7 3

 

 

 

 

§

 6 5

 

 

W

N

E

S

 

 

 

 

1NT *   *15-17

 

NO

2©**

NO

2ª         **  transfer

 

NO

3§

NO

4ª

 

NO

NO

NO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At trick 2 it is vital to set about the Diamonds to establish the suit so that pending Heart loser can be dispatched. It is also good technique not to draw a second round of trumps incase the clubs break badly and you need to ruff 2 clubs in hand, the  short hand. When East takes his Diamond ace and fires back another trump, the favorable trump split is revealed and now an easy 11 tricks will be realized as the Heart loser will go away on declarer’s third Diamond honour. You will be able to amass 5 natural trumps in dummy, 1 Heart, 2 Diamonds 1 Club and 2 Clubs ruffed in the short hand for 80% of the Match points.