HOMEPAGE > QUIZ > HAND OF THE WEEK > WEEK 37

Dealer : South
Vuln : East-West

HAND OF THE WEEK #37

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     North
    K Q
    10 3
    K J 10 9
    A 9 5 4 3
West You
9
J 9 7 5 4
8 7 6 4
Q 8 6
East
A 8 7 5 4 2
8 6 2
Q
K J 2
 

   South
    J 10 6 3
    A K Q
    A 5 3 2
    10 7

Did you lead your singleton spade? If you
did, you defeated the contract. At the table,
in a world championship, West was on a very
high level and figured out this was the time
to lead a trump and reduce declarer's ruffs.
Declarer didn't mind. He drew four rounds
of trumps and led a spade to the king. East
ducked and ducked again when the queen
was led. But declarer returned to his hand
with a heart lead and led the jack of spades,
claiming 11 tricks.

Does any other lead defeat 5?

After a heart lead, declarer is in trouble for
a strange reason...communications. He must
draw all the trump to avoid a spade ruff
(though he doesn't know it). Then East can
win his ace of spades and return a heart,
killing the entry to the spade suit. After a
club lead by West, again declarer must win
and play four rounds of trumps. But then he
is due to lose one spade trick and two club
tricks, so in both cases (heart or club lead)
declarer will lead a spade before drawing all
the trumps, and East will give West the spade
ruff. It turns out that any lead but a trump
defeats the contract.

Yes, North-South belonged in 3NT, which
is what North probably should have bid over
1NT. But he was also on a high level.

Have a nice weekend!

South
1NT(1)
2
3
4

West
pass
pass
pass
pass

North
2(2)
3(3)
4
5

East
pass
pass
pass
all pass

(1) 14-16
(2) Stayman, but doesn't promise a major
(3) Natural and forcing

 

 

 


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