Source:IBPAColumn Service FEB 2021Tim Bourke**Source: wikipedia:Tim Bourke “is an Australian bridge player and writer. His joint project with Justin Corfield “the Art of Declarer Play” won the International Bridge Press Book of the Year award in 2014.IMPs Dealer East. E/W Vul
Q 8 7 6 2
J
A 7 6 2
Q 9 2
9
A 8 4 3 2
Q 10 9 3
10 7 6
5 3
K 10 7 6
J
A K J 8 4 3
A K J 10 4
Q 9 5
K 8 5 4
5
West
North
East
South
1
1
DBL
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
West led a third-highest six of clubs and dummy’s nine was taken by East with the jack. Declarer ruffed the ace of clubs continuation and led the five of hearts from hand. West won with the ace and played a third club to remove dummy’s queen as a card that might threaten East. Declarer ruffed the club and ruffed a heart in dummy. He returned to hand with a low trump to the ace and was pleased to see that both opponents followed suit.
After ruffing the queen of hearts in dummy, declarer drew the last trump with dummy’s queen. The issue declarer now faced was how to play diamonds for one loser. If the suit broke three-two, there was no problem.
So, declarer turned his mind to dealing with a four-one diamond break and found the best solution of a low diamond from dummy with the intention of playing low from hand. When East produced the jack of diamonds, declarer stuck to his plan and contributed the four of diamonds from hand.
What could the defenders do?
If the jack of diamonds held, East would have to lead a club or a heart; in either case, declarer would throw a low diamond from hand and ruff in dummy for his game-going trick. In practice, West overtook the diamond jack with the queen and led the ten of diamonds. Declarer played low from dummy and won the trick in hand with the king of diamonds. Declarer now claimed on the marked diamond finesse against West’s diamond nine.
Q 8 7 6 2
J
A 7 6 2
Q 9 2
