Hand of the week commencing Sunday 5th November 2006
You are East, your partner leads §K and after winning the first trick declarer
plays
a trump plan your defence now.
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ª |
10 8 7
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Dealer
South |
© |
Q
8 7 6 3 |
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Love
All |
¨ |
6
4 3 2 |
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§ |
J |
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N |
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ª |
Q
J
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ª |
9
6 3 2 |
|
© |
10
5 |
|
W
E |
© |
A
9 |
|
¨ |
K
9 |
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|
¨ |
A
10 8 7 |
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§ |
K
Q 10 9 7 5 2 |
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§ |
8
6 |
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S |
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ª |
A
K 5 |
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© |
K
J 4 2 |
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¨ |
Q
J 5 |
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§ |
A
4 3 |
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W |
N |
E |
S |
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1© |
|
2§ |
2© |
NO |
3NT |
|
NO |
4© |
NO |
NO |
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NO |
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You have your 2 Aces in
the bag. You will need 2 more tricks. Hopefully, One will have to come from
Diamonds assuming partner has a Diamond Honour and maybe the setting trick will
come from Spade if he has an honour there too. If a Spade trick is due to come
then there is no hurry for you to play a Spade through. However if a Diamond
trick and a possible Diamond ruff for your partner is due then you have to
switch to a Diamond at trick three after winning the Ace of Trumps. You must
also underlead your ace so that the suit will not get blocked. As long as
partner has doubleton King or Queen this will a) put declarer under pressure and
b) create a position where West will get a
ruff.(NB The odds favour West holding a doubleton Diamond honour since South
rebid 3NT rather then bidding straight to 4©)
Now
West takes his king, fires the suit back and the contract goes one down. Due to
the favorable lie of the Spade suit declarer has no Spade losers. Without the
Diamond switch declarer would have been able to draw trumps and bring his
contract home by way of 3
Spades, 4 Hearts, 1 Diamond 1 Club and finally 1 Diamond trumped in hand (the
short hand)