When the opponents lead a Suit in which you only have the Ace it is tempting to hold up to try and cut communications between the two defenders. However, on this hand you virtually have a second stopper with your AJ here as long as East doesn’t get the lead. You will have to  try to play the hand with this in mind in order to make  your contract.

After winning the first trick, assume West has the Diamond Ace so that your Heart Jack will be protected. So lead a small Diamond towards dummy’s king. When the Jack pops up play dummy’s King. This holds so now play a low Diamond from both hands and watch as West who started life with a doubleton Ace has to play his Ace on air (capturing low cards from dummy and declarer’s hand – Ah poor West J). West gets off lead with a top heart followed by another. You can now cash your winning Diamonds and then force out the Spade Ace. West cashes two more Heart winners but then has to concede the remaining tricks to you with winning Spades and a top club.

It looks like you will have made 2 Spades, 2 Hearts 4 Diamonds and 1 club. However you will not make 9 tricks because the defence have taken five by way of 3 Hearts and 2 Aces before you can get 9.

You can also watch the following movie to see how the hand pans out. To view this programme you will need  to download htttp://www.haroldschogger.com/bridgevu.setup

  alternatively watch the film www.haroldschogger.com/movies2.htm

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