Hand of the week commencing
Sunday1st April 2007
Opponents
cash 2 Diamonds and East switches to a Club which you win. You cash ©K
and West shows out. Plan your play.
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ª |
A 8 3
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Dealer
East |
© |
A
7 3 2 |
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Both
Vul |
¨ |
Q
10 |
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§ |
A
5 3 2 |
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N |
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ª |
J
10 7 5
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ª |
Q
6 |
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© |
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W
E |
© |
10
6 5 4 |
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¨ |
A
6 3 |
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¨ |
K
J 9 7 4 2 |
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§ |
K
Q 9 8 6 4 |
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§ |
7 |
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S |
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ª |
K
9 4 2 |
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© |
K
Q J 9 8 |
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¨ |
8
5 |
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§ |
J
10 |
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W |
N |
E |
S |
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NO |
NO |
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1§ |
NO |
1¨ |
1© |
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1ª |
3© |
NO |
NO |
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NO |
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Many
players panic at this point. As long as you stay calm and count your winners you
know you only have to find one more. Even though the trumps have broken badly
your tally of winners is 8 :- 2 Spades, 5 Trumps, and the Club Ace. The extra
trick has to come from either establishing the 13th Spade or ruffing a Spade in
dummy. If the you draw all the trumps you will have to rely on Spades breaking
33 (35% chance). However if you delay drawing trumps and play spades first then
as long as they are no worse than 42 (48% chance plus all the 33 breaks 35%
= total of 83% chance) then you can
cash two top Spades and plan to ruff a Spade in dummy with the Ace. Now you can
take the marked Spade finesse against East, and bring home 9 tricks by way of
2 Spades, 1 Spade ruffed (with the Ace), 5 natural trumps in hand
and 1 Club.