Dealer South. Love All.

                                    ♠          Q J

                                    ♥          Q 7 5 2

                                    ♦          9 8 3

                                    ♣          J 10 9 4

            ♠          9 6 5 3                          ♠          K 10 7

            ♥          9 8 3                             ♥          A 10 6

            ♦          J 10 6                           ♦          7 5 2

            ♣          K Q 6                            ♣          A 7 3 2

                                    ♠          A 8 4 2

                                    ♥          K J 4

                                    ♦          A K Q 4

                                    ♣          8 5

This hand comes from the Middlesex Congress Swiss Pairs.

The lead suggests that partner has led second highest from a bad suit because when we use Rule of 11 we can account for the remaining 5 cards all being higher than the 6 that has been led and surely declarer has not bid 2NT without the Spade Ace.

To defeat this contract you will have to be patient and  not try not to give anything away.

On the surface there aren’t too many entries to dummy and if you were to play the King at trick one that would certainly give declarer the entry to establish the 13^th Heart. So without much ado you play low on first Spade as you want declarer to be in dummy when you want him to be not when he wants to be there.

As expected declarer plays  on Hearts and you of course do not take your Ace until the third round- you know declarer cannot have 4 Hearts or he would have supported the 1© response. Also partner played his hearts upwards, confirming three card suit.

After winning the  third Heart you now play your Spade king smothering dummy’s Jack ready to enjoy your Ten later. Declarer wins and cashes 4 Diamonds before exiting with a Spade. You take your Ace and play a low club and you and your partner take the last three tricks with three top clubs,

Had you covered trick 1 with the King, declarer has the timing to set up the 13^th Heart to bring home this contract, as we found out from the bitter experience of playing the King at trick One.

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.videoes.html or BridgeBase programme on your machine already to view it )

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