Hand of the week commencing
Sunday 31st August 2008
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Dealer
South |
ª |
Q 5 3
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EW
Vulnerable |
© |
A
J |
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¨ |
Q
6 |
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§ |
10
7 6 5 4 2 |
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N |
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ª |
9
8 7 2
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ª |
K
6 |
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© |
Q
10 9 |
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W
E |
© |
8
7 6 5 3 |
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¨ |
J
10 9 8 5 |
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¨ |
K
7 3 2 |
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§ |
J |
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§ |
K
Q |
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S |
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ª |
A
J 10 4 |
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Lead
¨J |
© |
K
4 2 |
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¨ |
A
4 |
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§ |
A
9 8 3 |
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W |
N |
E |
S |
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1NT* |
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NO |
2NT |
NO |
3NT
* 15-17 |
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NO |
NO |
NO |
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West
Leads ¨J
and after trying the Queen from dummy East contributes the King. Plan your play.
You
didn’t get lucky at trick one since east turned up with the Diamond King and
if you let the opponents in now, they will certainly cash at least 4 more
Diamond winners. You will therefore be unable to go after Clubs, the suit that
would have normally produced lots of tricks with a none Diamond lead.
Therefore
you will have to ride your luck and assume that the finesses in both Majors are
going to work.
Win
the first trick (no point in ducking since chances of West leading from a 7 card
Diamond suit is remote) and immediately lead a Heart towards dummy’s Jack.
When the Jack holds, lead a low spade from dummy and let it run to the 10. When
it holds return to the Heart Ace in
order to finesse the Spade again. Again lead low spade towards the jack. The
King is voluntarily played and now you know the Spades are breaking 42. Because
of your careful play of the Spade
suit you can now enter dummy with the Spade Queen. You then re-enter
your hand via the Club Ace to cash
the last Spade.
With
careful play you have managed to
bring home 4 Spades, 3 Hearts and 2 Minor suit Aces.