Hand of the week

Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 26th January 2025

As East plan your defence of 3NT after partner leads ♥6

If you would like to play this hand click here

Dealer: North Vuln: N/S

♠	J 10 5
♥	A 8 4
♦	K Q 8 7
♣	10 9 7

♠	A 8 6 3
♥	Q J 9 6
♦	5 4
♣	J 6 3

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	9 4
♥	10 7 5 2
♦	J 6 3 2
♣	A 8 2

♠	K Q 7 2
♥	K 3
♦	A 10 9
♣	K Q 5 4

W	N	E	S
	Pass	Pass	Pass
Pass	1NT	Pass	3NT
End

As East you might think you aren't going to take any part in defeating declarer's 3NT contract. THINK AGAIN.

Declarer establishes his spade suit and partner wins with Spade Ace and now plays another Heart.

Declarer plays one more spade. What are you going to do? There is an expression for defenders "keep length with declarer or with dummy". This certainly applies here and you need to keep 4 Diamonds as there are 4 Diamonds in dummy too. Declarer tries to make his contract by cashing 3 top Diamonds and when the suit broke badly for him he now had to go off. He will now lose 2 Hearts, 1 Spade, 1 Diamond and 1 club.

Declarer would have got home, had he played one more spade and then he could play a club and make his 9th trick from his club holding. (Declarer didn't play like this as he was worried that Hearts were breaking 5:3)

You can also play out the following hand to see how the hand pans out. (You need bridgvu.exe programme and it is available free from http://www.haroldschogger.com/movies.html )

alternatively watch the film of the hand being played out by going to www.haroldschogger.com/movies2.htm

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