Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 26th September 2021

Plan your play in 3NT after ♥6 has been led

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Dealer: East Vuln: None

♠	10 9 6 5
♥	J 7
♦	J 4
♣	Q J 9 4 2

♠	Q J 8 7 4
♥	9 6 2
♦	6 3 2
♣	8 7

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	A 3
♥	Q 10 8 4 3
♦	K Q 9 5
♣	10 3

♠	K 2
♥	A K 5
♦	A 10 8 7
♣	A K 6 5

	5
3		11
	21

W	N	E	S
		1♥	Double
Pass	1♠	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	End

When this hand was played against me declarer didn't seem to have any plan at all and certainly had not counted his tricks.

As long as the clubs are no worse than 3:1 you should get 5 club tricks, 2 Hearts and 1 Diamond. You need to generate JUST ONE MORE. So you keep your card play simple and take your only 50% chance and after cashing all the winning clubs play a spade off the table and finesse. However it is no longer a 50% chance because East opened the bidding and surely he would not have been able to open the bidding without the Spade Ace. The finesse works and you are home- why do players try and do clever things- it beats me.