Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 12th December 2021

Playing Match Point Pairs where every overtrick is vital Plan your play in 4♠ after ♣3 is led

If you would like to play this hand out then click here

Dealer: South Vuln: All

♠	A 4
♥	J 6
♦	A Q 4 3
♣	A 8 7 5 2

♠	8
♥	10 7 5
♦	K 7 6 5
♣	K 10 6 4 3

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	J 9
♥	A Q 8 4 2
♦	9 8 2
♣	Q J 9

♠	K Q 10 7 6 5 3 2
♥	K 9 3
♦	J 10
♣	-

W	N	E	S
			4♠
End

Initially you have 8 spade winners and 2 Aces so your contract is safe. So how are you going to generate extra tricks without putting the contract into any sort of jeopardy?

The Diamonds look your best bet. and you wlll also need to keep an entry on the table.

With this in mind, you will need to take the Diamond finesse early. The Club Ace will not disappear so win the first trick in hand by small ruff. Now you are in correct hand to try the Diamond finesse. The finesse works and you play a second Diamond and West still doesn't cover. Now draw trumps in two rounds ending on the table with the ace.. Cash your two Minor suit winners (the ♣A and the ♦A) and claim 12 tricks - you made 8 trumps (or 7 trumps and 1 club ruff) 3Diamonds and 1 club losing just 1 Heart for an excellent played Match Point hand

You can also play out the following hand to see how the hand pans out. (You need bridgvu.exe programme and it is available free from http://www.haroldschogger.com/movies.html )

alternatively watch the film of the hand being played out by going to www.haroldschogger.com/movies2.htm

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