Answer to

Hand of the week commencing Sunday 9th  September 2007  

 

Playing MPS where all overtricks are vital, West leads the ©10 how do you make 10 tricks ?

 

 

West Dealer

ª

 A 9

 

 

 

NS Vulnerable

©

 J 3

 

 

 

 

¨

 A Q 6 5 4 2

 

 

 

Lead ©10

§

A 6 4

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

 K Q 10 8

 

 

ª

7 6 5 3

©

A 10 9 8 5 4

 

W                          E

©

 

¨

 8

 

 

¨

9 7 3

§

 Q 5

 

 

§

K J 10 8 7 2

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

 J 4 2

 

 

 

 

©

 K Q 7 6 2

 

 

 

 

¨

 K J 10

 

 

 

 

§

 9 3

 

 

                           

 W

N

E

S

1©

2¨

NO

2NT

NO

3NT

NO

NO

NO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a nice easy hand. What could possibly go wrong ? Normally you do not play back the suit that the opposition leads. Most of the time you would play on your longest suit. If you go after the Diamonds straight away then you will be taking away vital entries to your hand and you will only realize 9 tricks. Initially you have 8 winners- 1 Spade, 6 Diamonds and 1 Club. The opposition has lead a Heart  which gives you your contract. Now an overtrick has to come from the Heart suit. So get on with the task of building a second Heart trick at trick two and play back a Heart. Once you have established this extra trick you can merely claim your 10 tricks for an above average Match point score.

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