Hand of the week commencing
Sunday 7th December 2008
|
|
Dealer
South |
ª |
Q 7 5
|
|
|
|
|
Both
Vulnerable |
© |
Q
J 9 |
|
|
|
|
|
¨ |
A
Q 5 3 |
|
|
|
|
|
§ |
8
7 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
N |
|
|
|
ª |
K
10 9 6 |
|
|
ª |
A
8 4
|
|
© |
10
2 |
|
W
E |
© |
K
7 6 4 |
|
¨ |
10
4 2 |
|
|
¨ |
J
7 |
|
§ |
9
5 3 2 |
|
|
§ |
K
Q 10 6 |
|
|
|
|
S |
|
|
|
|
|
ª |
J
3 2 |
|
|
|
|
Lead
ª3 |
© |
A
8 5 3 |
|
|
|
|
|
¨ |
K
9 8 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
§ |
A
J |
|
|
|
W |
N |
E |
S |
|
|
|
|
1NT |
|
NO |
NO |
NO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
opponents cash two top Spades and continue with a third round.
How do you get a well above score on this hand from the
The opponents win the first two Spade tricks and continue with a third.
You now have 5 further winners – Heart Ace, 3 Diamonds and club Ace. If
the Diamonds break 3:2 then there will be a further trick here, bringing the
total to 7. However this is MP’s and each overtrick is vital. The suit that
can bring in extra tricks has to be hearts and if the King is onside and the 10
is doubleton then the Heart suit could also bring in 4 tricks (NB the importance
of the 9 and 8). Therefore, after
winning the third Spade take the Heart finesse. If East covers then finesse the
9 on the way back. If he doesn’t then continue with the Jack and play/pray
for doubleton 10 with West . With the lucky layout of
the cards you now bring home 4 Hearts, 4 Diamonds and one trick in each
black suit.
(NB Even though North had 11 points it is absolutely correct to pass
with such a 4333 hand and even though 10 tricks materializes it would be wrong
to end up in 3NT here)