Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 13th June 2021

Playing Match Point Pairs plan your play in 4♠

<span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 51);">23 </span></a><br/><br/>

Dealer: East Vuln: None

♠	J 9 7 5 4
♥	Q 7
♦	A J 10 6
♣	8 7

♠	8 3 2
♥	A 10 9 8 4
♦	K 8
♣	9 6 5

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	6
♥	J 6 5
♦	Q 9 5 3 2
♣	A J 10 2

♠	A K Q 10
♥	K 3 2
♦	7 4
♣	K Q 4 3

W	N	E	S
		Pass	1♠
Pass	4♠	End

This hand is all about psychology and hoping the opponents "just follow rules" On the first trick make sure you drop the ♥3 and when they play another Heart, win with the Queen on table. Now you are in dummy. Let's hope East has heard about second person playing low. With this in mind lead a low club from dummy and as you hopefully expected East plays low (in 2nd seat.) You can now win with your King and quickly throw away the losing club on your winning Heart when you return to dummy. Now its a matter of giving up the Diamond and cross ruffing the rest of the hand even though when West gets in with the ♦K he plays a trump you can now make 11 tricks losing just 1 Heart and 1 Diamond You made 1 Club, 1Diamond 2 Hearts, 1trump and six cross ruffs for a very good Match Point score. Perhaps East wishes he had never heard of second hand playing low or might have thought it through.