Hand of the week

If you would like to play this hand out then click here

Dealer: East Vuln: None

♠	A J 2
♥	-
♦	J 10 9 5
♣	A K 8 7 5 2

♠	9 8 4
♥	A K 9 8
♦	4 2
♣	J 10 9 4

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	Q 10 7 5
♥	Q J 7 6 5 3
♦	K
♣	Q 6

♠	K 6 3
♥	10 4 2
♦	A Q 8 7 6 3
♣	3

W	N	E	S
		2♥	Pass
3♥	4♣	Pass	4♦
Pass	5♦	End

Some people will not keep their card play simple and when I watched this hand being played declarer made 12 tricks and lost one trick when the Spade finesse failed.

So what should he have done?

If the clubs break no worse than 4:2(48% chance) then you can throw away your losing Spade after setting the suit up. If after one round of clubs you discover the suit breaking 5:1 then and only then you could fll back on the Spade finesse.

With this in mind at trick two after ruffing the first trick you play a Diamond from dummy pleased to see the fall of the king. Now play Ace and a small club ruffing in your hand pleased to see the clubs breaking favourably. Now re-enter dummy with a trump, at the same time drawing the last trump out. Now trump another club retaining that King of Clubs. Now enter dummy with top spade or a trump and play off Club King and the two established clubs and claim 2 Spades, 1 Heart ruffed (at the beginning) 4 trumps from the long hand, 2 Club ruffs and 2 top clubs and 2 established clubs. You will at least beat all those played who didn't bid he slam here in Diamonds.

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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