Hand of the week commencing Sunday 10th September 2006
The ¨Q
is led followed by ¨J.
Plan your play.
|
|
Dealer
North |
ª |
A
K 8 6
|
|
|
|
|
E
|
© |
Q
4 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
¨ |
7
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
§ |
K
Q 8 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
N |
|
|
|
ª |
Q
J 7 3 2
|
|
|
ª |
10 |
|
© |
8
3 |
|
W
E |
© |
K
10 7 6 |
|
¨ |
Q
J 6 4 2 |
|
|
¨ |
A
K 10 9 3 |
|
§ |
J |
|
|
§ |
10
9 2 |
|
|
|
|
S |
|
|
|
|
|
ª |
9
5 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
© |
A
J 9 5 |
|
|
|
|
|
¨ |
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
§ |
A
7 6 5 3 |
|
|
|
N |
E |
S |
W |
|
|
1§ |
NO |
1© |
2©
Michaels showing 55 in unbid suits here |
|
|
NO |
NO |
4§ |
NO |
|
|
4© |
NO |
NO |
NO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What
catches lie in this problem ? Firstly with the Michaels Cue Bid overcall it
seems that the trumps suit will not be breaking favorably (33).
Secondly
we must not lose control, of the trump suit and will need to assume it is no
worse than 42.
We can
now count winners- 2 Spades, 1 Heart, 3 Clubs. All things considered, not a good
tally. However if we can keep control of trumps
we should be able to establish 2 more trump tricks, and 2 further Club tricks.
Now to
our losers, on this hand it is not so bad- 1 Diamond 1 Spade and up to 2 trumps.
If we can contain the hand like this we will have no problems.
With this in mind at trick 2
we chuck away a Spade loser from hand maintaining our initial 4 trumps holding.
Now the opponents are unable to force us to reduce our trumps . Assuming they
switch to Spades, you must win in dummy and lead ©Q
from dummy which East covers. You now return to dummy with a Club to finesse
East’s remaining 10 7 6 of trumps. When the finesse is successful you cash
your Spade Ace and then merely play off winners. East can take his trump
whenever he likes. You have merely lost 2 Diamonds and 1 trump, amassing 2
Spades, 3 Trumps and 5 clubs on the way to bringing in the precarious contract.