Source: IBPA Bulletin Sep 2017
Dealer West. N/S Vul
|
 A 6 3
 K J 8 6
 Q J 6 5
 7 5 |
|
| 9 5 2
7 3
8 4
K Q J 10 9 2 |
|
Q 7
A Q 10 5 2
10 9 7 3 2
3 |
|
K J 10 8 4
9 4
A K
A 8 6 4 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| 3 |
Pass |
Pass |
3NT |
| Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
|
At all of the tables broadcast, West opened with three clubs and, at 63 of 66 tables, the final contract was four spades. If West leads the king of clubs against that contract, declarer wins with the ace, plays a trump to the ace and a second trump, intending to finesse.
Luckily, the queen of trumps appears, so declarer takes this with the king and draws the last trump with the jack. Then, after cashing the ace and king of diamonds declarer plays a low heart to the jack. East takes the trick with his queen and, as he is down to red-suit cards only, he gets off play with a diamond to avoid conceding an overtrick.
Declarer makes ten tricks – five trumps, four diamonds and the ace of clubs. Four spades can be defeated if West leads a heart. Declarer plays dummy’s jack and East must take the queen and ace of hearts before exiting with the three of clubs. Declarer can do no better than cash the ace and king of diamonds followed by the king and ace of trumps so that he can play a good diamond.
Alas, it is West who has the third trump and he ruffs in, then cashes a club winner for down one. If East plays a third heart instead of the club, declarer ruffs with the ten of spades as West discards a diamond. Declarer continues with the ace and king of diamonds. West can do no better than ruff the latter and play the king of clubs. Declarer wins with the ace of clubs and plays the king and ace of trumps.
As this draws the outstanding trumps, declarer throws his remaining clubs on dummy’s three red-suit winners. At three tables, South balanced with three notrump over three clubs (two of them in the AustraliaNetherlands Bermuda Bowl match). The play at the diagrammed table was routine: declarer ducked the king of clubs, won the next club with the ace and cashed the ace-king of diamonds. He then took the standard avoidance play of passing the jack of spades to East’s queen. East exited with a diamond and declarer had nine tricks: four spades, four diamonds and a club.
