Answer to

Hand of the week commencing Sunday 16th  March 2008  

 

 

 

 

East Dealer

ª

 J 10 6

 

 

 

Neither Vulnerable

©

 7 4 2

 

 

 

 

¨

 A 2

 

 

 

 

§

 A K 8 7 2

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

 9 5 4

 

 

ª

 

©

 J 6 5

 

W                          E

©

K Q 10 8

¨

 Q 10 3

 

 

¨

K J 8 7 6 5

§

 10 9 5 3

 

 

§

 Q 6 4

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

 A K Q 8 7 3 2

 

 

 

 

©

 A 9 3

 

 

 

 

¨

 9 4

 

 

 

 

§

 J

 

 

                           

W

N

E

S

 

 

1¨

1ª

NO

2§

NO

4ª

NO

NO

NO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West leads ¨3 .Playing MP’s can you see a way of making 12 tricks ?

Initially you can count 11 top tricks – all seven spades, 3 Aces and a King.

The 12th trick will have to come from establishing the 5th Club. There are 7 clubs out against you and odd number of cards missing usually break well (here 62%).

Its all well and good establishing the clubs, but will you have retained enough entries to enjoy them ? Initially there are 4 entries to dummy (the §A, the ªJ10 and the ¨A). To draw trumps takes could take 3 rounds and you will have then removed vital entries.

With all this in mind you must immediately set about the club suit in dummy and delay drawing trumps.  After winning the first trick play 2 winning clubs discarding the Diamond loser on the second one.  Now ruff a Club High (just in case West started with a doubleton). When West follows all is well and you know the suit is breaking 43. Enter dummy with the Spade Jack. Now ruff another club. Dummy’s last club has now been established. Cash a high spade in hand and enter dummy with the carefully preserved 10 of trumps, at the same time drawing West’s last trump. You can now play the winning club dispatching a Heart loser. You can now claim 12 tricks by way of 7 Spades, 1 Heart 1 Diamond 2 Clubs and 1 established club.

 

 

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