Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday  18th September  2022

Plan you play in 4♠ after West leads the ♥K.

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Dealer: West Vuln: N/S

Now that you are playing in this Moysian fit (4:3 fit of only 7 trumps) can you still get home? Seems that the bridge gods need to be working with you on this hand.

Initially you only have 4 winners (2 Spades and 2 other Aces). There also seems to be a few losers here- Possible Spade loser, Heart loser, Diamond loser and 1 club loser.

In order to make this contract you will have to hope that the Spade finesse works, the Spades break 3:3 and something good happens in Clubs.

West plays the Diamond Ace next. You should duck the first trick and maybe West will play another Heart around to your Ace Jack, However West now cashes Diamond Ace followed by another Diamond.

You win on table and should now play a club towards your Queen so you can ruff a Club in your own hand, the short hand before tackling trumps . Unexpectedly (and you are more than happy) East rises with the King before playing a second Heart.

 At this point in time the hand becomes "OPEN BOOK" and you can place all the important cards. (i.e. Spade Queen) East has turned up with 3 points. Between your hand and dummy there were initially 24 points so all the remaining 14 points will surely be with West for his Opening bid of 1NT.

You now win the Heart switch and unblock that Club Queen before it gives you grief later. You should now cash the Spade king and then finesse West for the missing trump queen and dummy's Jack wins. You can cash the Ace and PRAY for a 3:3 trump break (alternatively you could do an immediate finesse and then come back to your hand with the King to do another finesse just in case the trumps broke 4:2.)

Your prayers were answered and the spades broke 3:3

You made 4 trumps, 4 Clubs and 1 trick in each red suit.