Sunday 27th November   2011

After poor a  bidding sequence can you redeem yourself and maximize your tricks in 3NT to beat all those playing the more sensible 4ª contract ?

Firstly, you need to persuade the opponents to continue Diamonds as you do not want them to cash their Heart Ace. You win the first trick in dummy and come back to hand via the Spade Ace  to take the first club finesse. East wins his King and not unreasonably continues Diamonds.

You win in hand and  take another Club finesse which holds. Now you cash the Ace pleased to see the suit break 33. After taking a Spade finesse, you now amass 5 Spades, 2 Diamonds and 4 clubs, NB If East had switched to a high  Heart you will only get 10 tricks (for a  deserved bottom -all the rest of the field are in Spades also making 11 tricks)

(NB If you cash your Spades too early the defence will wake up and cash their 3 defensive tricksJ).

With such a poor hand West might Have tried leading a Club to try and find partner and then you would have got your just deserts for being in this very inferior 3NT contract.

 You can also view  watch the following movie to see how the hand pans out. (You need bridgvu.exe programme  or BridgeBase programme on your machine already to view it ) and it is available free from   http://www.haroldschogger.com/videos.htm

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