1. 

   if you wish to search this website please click here                                                                           

    

Updated  16th August 2026

IINDEX  to all pages on this website

 
  •  
 

 

 
  •  
 
 
Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 12th May 2024

Plan your play in 4 after West leads the Ace with a spade switch

If you would like to play this out click here

Dealer: East Vuln: All

9 5
4
A 10 8 4 2
Q 9 7 6 3
8 6
J 7
9 7 6 5
A K J 10 2
N
W  E
 
S
K J 10 4 3 2
Q 10 5
K Q J
5
A Q 7
A K 9 8 6 3 2
3
8 4
 
W NES
14
DoubleEnd

When my partner played this hand which I thought was relatively easy, he managed to go one off. Maybe he didn't count his winners and more importantly his losers

Initially after the lead and Spade switch he can now count 5 winners- 2 spades 2 Hearts and the Diamond Ace.,

What is the most important card in dummy- that Diamond Ace as it will be your entry to the.......established  Club Queen eventually.

On the losers front you have 2 Clubs, and 1 trump (as long as trumps break no worse than 3:2) and  1 spade.

After the lead, you know West has the Club King (as he led the Ace promising top of sequence). As long as you lead up to dummy's remaining Queen you will be able to establish the Queen to dispose of the Spade loser.

With all this in mind, win the second trick with the Ace and immediately play ONLY two rounds of trumps (Remember that "Rule of 1" - if there is one trump out higher than all yours no need to draw it as its a poor exchange rate 2 for 1) and it is so vital here not to play a third trump or the opposition will switch to a Diamond and remove your entry. UGH

After drawing only two rounds of trumps now play a club finessing West for that missing Club King. He takes the king and now you are home losing just one more trump trick eventually

You made 6 trumps,2 Spades,1 Diamond and 1 club.

 

 

  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

if you would like to comment on this page or say you like it you may do so now :-

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

 

   
 

 

Home

 

Home