Change of Plan by John Brown

Dealer South N/S Vul

8 5 3 J 7 Q 9 A Q J 8 4 3

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

West	North	East	South
			1
Pass	2	2	3
4	5	Pass	Pass
Dbl	Pass	Pass	Pass

Opening Lead A West ledA and continued with theJ,  South ruffed with the2, and played a trump to dummy’sQ, West played low and East pitched a small spade. How do you continue? It is obvious that if declarer leads another round of trumps he will be forced again, after which he could not make the contract. A change of plan is necessary. If South can rightly guess how many clubs and how many hearts West has, and if he has five cards in these suits and theK is with East, as is likely on his overcall, South can make his contract in spite of West’s length in diamonds. South at this point resorted to a cross-ruff and thus made his doubled contract. In trick 4 the declarer leads dummy’sJ and another heart to hisQ, he continues with a club to dummy’sJ, cashes theA and ruffs a spade in hand with his7, and plays theA that makes the trick. The position reached is:

9 Q 8 4

10 K J 10

South leads the 10 and West could only make one trick: the A. The complete hand was:

	8 5 3 J 7 Q 9 A Q J 8 4 3
A J 4 9 5 4 A 8 6 4 3 9 6		K Q 10 9 7 2 K 8 3 2 — 10 7 2
	6 A Q 10 6 K J 10 7 5 2 K 5