Answer to Hand of the week commencing Sunday 18th January 2009      

 

 

 

North Dealer

ª

 Q 5

 

 

 

Neither Vulnerable

©

  A J 10 7 5

 

 

 

 

¨

 10 9 6 5 3

 

 

 

Lead §K

§

 3

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

 J 9 7

 

 

ª

 A 10 8 4 2

©

 4 3

 

W                          E

©

 K Q 8 6 2

¨

 K J

 

 

¨

 2

§

 K Q J 9 8 5

 

 

§

 7 2

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

 K 6 3

 

 

 

 

©

 9

 

 

 

 

¨

 AQ 8 7 4

 

 

 

 

§

 A 10 6 4

 

 

                           

W

N

E

S

 

 

 

1¨

2§

2©

NO

3¨

NO

5¨

NO

NO

NO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West leads §K plan your play in 5¨.

Here it is vital to count your winners, so that you know how many tricks you need to build.

Initially you have just 3 winners ie the 3 aces.

You could set up a trick in Spades, bringing the total to 4. The Diamond suit therefore needs to bring in 7 further tricks (you have already counted the Ace). In order to do this, you will have to assume the Diamonds are no worse than 21 and you must avoid drawing trumps. If you draw even one round of trumps and the opponents get in with the Spade Ace they are sure to play another trump and you will be a trick short at the end.

After winning the first trick, play a Spade to the Queen. East wins and plays a Diamond. You resist the Finesse and go up with the Ace. You are now in the driving seat and will eventually come to 1 Spade, 1 Heart, 1 Diamond, 1 Club and seven from cross ruffing (NB Thos is a true cross ruff where the trumps are equal length in both hand and dummy)

 

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