Answer to

Hand of the week commencing Sunday 4th June 2006  

 Playing Match Point Pairs, partner leads the ©A and dummy goes down

 what as East should you play and why ?

 

 

Dealer North

ª

Q 5 2

 

 

 

North South  Vul

©

5

 

 

 

 

¨

K Q J 5 4 2 

 

 

 

 

§

A J 7

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

 K 8 3

 

 

ª

J 10 9

©

A K J 10 9 8 6   

 

W                          E

©

7 4 3 

¨

6 3 

 

 

¨

8

§

10  

 

 

§

Q 9 6 5 4 2

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

A 7 6 4

 

 

 

 

©

Q 2

 

 

 

 

¨

A 10 9 7

 

 

 

 

§

 K 8 3

 

 

 

N

E

S

W

1¨

 NO

1ª

4©

4ª

NO

NO

NO

 

Whenever you see that dummy has a singleton you must give partner a suit preference signal . If there is any chance of defeating this contract you must tell partner to switch to a Diamond at trick two. So you ignore the suit being played and you ignore trumps so you are left with only Diamonds and Clubs. Since the Diamond suit is the higher of these two suits you should follow suit with the ©7 at trick one to indicate that you want an immediate Diamond switch. Once partner switches to diamonds declarer will win and set about the Spade suit. Although the spades sits favourably for declarer with the Queen sitting over West’s king and the suit breaking 33, your partner will get in with the Spade King and be able to furnish you with a ruff in Diamonds which will be the setting trick. Any other defence, declarer will be able to draw trumps and bring home 11 winners losing just one trump and one Heart.

 With the Diamond switch you will realize 3 defensive tricks by way of, 2 Spades,  and a Diamond ruff and above Match Point score for holding declarer to his contract.

 

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