Vul: Us Dlr: Lefty Scoring: Rubber |
PARD (dummy) A K J 2 10 9 8 7 K J 2 A 2 |
Lefty's spade lead looks suspiciously like a singleton.
Even if it isn't, there is no reason you should risk a ruff.
You can always take a spade finesse after the trumps are drawn. Counting your tricks, you have 2 spade tricks, 6 diamonds and 1 club. 2 more spades are easily established, and the 12th trick will easily come if either blacksuit finesse works or diamonds are 2-2. But what if both finesses are wrong and diamonds are 3-1? Can you still make? Thankfully, there is a sneaky line that combines all of your chances.
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Contract: 6 Opening Lead: 4 | YOU 10 8 7 6 3 -- A Q 10 9 8 3 Q J |
Win the A, and ruff a heart.
Cross to dummy with a trump and ruff a second heart.
(If trumps break 4-0, then see below.)
Again cross to dummy with a trump and ruff a third heart.
These heart ruffs were required to strip righty of all
his hearts. Now pull trumps. If trumps are 2-2, then finesse a spade and claim. Otherwise, we have reached the position shown at right. Now lead a low spade to dummy. If lefty follows, then play the J. If that loses, then righty is endplayed to lead clubs towards dummy. If the J holds then you can claim. On the other hand, if lefty shows out on your low spade, then win the K and exit the J, endplaying righty into leading a club for your 12th trick. If trumps break 4-0, then you will draw trumps immediately and try each of the blacksuit finesses, praying that one of them works. Well done!
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PARD (dummy) K J 2 10 -- A 2 | ||
YOU 10 8 7 6 -- -- Q J |
The two best submissions mishandled the case
when lefty really did lead low from
Qxx,
but I have decided to overlook it
and award correct submissions to both of them.
This Month's Winners