Answer to

Hand of the week commencing Sunday 18th June 2006  

 

After a very flighty bidding sequence you end up a level higher than you might have wanted. How do you bring in 11 tricks on the following hand after ª6 is led ?

 

 

Dealer East

ª

7 

 

 

 

North South  Vul

©

A Q J 8

 

 

 

 

¨

A K 8 7 6 

 

 

 

 

§

9 5 3

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

 K J 9 6 5

 

 

ª

Q 10 4

©

4 3 2    

 

W                          E

©

10 6 

¨

Q 9 4 3

 

 

¨

J 5  2

§

K

 

 

§

Q J 10 7 6  

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

A 8 3 2

 

 

 

 

©

K 9 7 5  

 

 

 

 

¨

10

 

 

 

 

§

A 8 4 2

 

 

 

S

W

N

E

 

 

 

NO

NO

2ª

DBL

3ª

4©

NO

5¨

NO

5©

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

 

 

 

Did you remember to count your winners ? Do you always draw trumps regardless of anything else ? If you do the latter on this hand you will certainly be a trick short .

At the start you have a tally of the following as winners :-1 Spade,  4 trumps,   2 Diamonds and 1 Club. This means you will need to find  3 MORE NOW .

The secret lies in setting up the Diamond suit and also ruffing the suit until it is high. If the Diamonds break 43 you will have no problems as the suit will produce 1 extra tricks plus 2 ruffs  in that  suit will bring the total to 11. This means  you will have to delay drawing trumps.

After winning the spade trick set about the Diamonds immediately by playing Ace and a small one ruffing low in hand. Now enter dummy with a high trump and ruff another Diamond. Now you merely draw trumps and claim . You have won 1 Spade, 4 trumps, 2 Diamonds, 2 Diamond ruffs, 1 established Diamond and 1 Club. Your contract was never in jeopardy. Remember not to ruff in both hands or you will lose control. Here you are only ruffing in one hand and setting up a second suit at the same time.

 

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