Answer to

Hand of the week commencing Sunday 20th November 2006  

 

 

North Dealer

ª

 A 9 7 6

 

 

 

Neither Vulnerable

©

 K 10 6 3

 

 

 

 

¨

 Q 6

 

 

 

 

§

 Q 4 3

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

Q 4 3 2

 

 

ª

 10

©

 Q 8 3

 

W                          E

©

 5 3

¨

 3

 

 

¨

 J 10 7 5 4 2

§

 K 9 7 6  5

 

 

§

 A J 10 2

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

 K J 8 5

 

 

 

 

©

 A J 9 7

 

 

 

 

¨

 A K 9 8

 

 

 

 

§

 8

 

 

                           

W

N

E

S

 

 

 

1©

NO

3©

NO

4©

NO

NO

NO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plan your play in 4© after West leads §6 and a club continuation.

 

This is an excellent hand for counting winners and losers (and not to create any extra losers!!) Initially you have 7 winners ie 2 Spades, 2 Hearts, and 3 Diamonds. On the loser front you have 1 Loser in each suit except Diamonds where you have none.

Bearing  all this in mind. you will need to draw trumps but will also make sure you do not conjure up any extra club losers. After ruffing the second club enter dummy with a high trump in order to ruff dummy’s last Club. Now draw a second high trump leaving the trump Queen out. Now you merely play off the Spades from the top. With no queen falling you lose a Spade trick . By the end of the hand you have won 2 natural trumps, 2 spades, an established Spade, 3 Diamonds and 2 Clubs ruffed (11 tricks?!) BUT you have not really won this many tricks since you have conceded 1 Club, 1 Heart and 1 Spade.