IBPA Column Service by Tim Bourke (AUS)

Source: IBPA Bulletin No. 865 August 7, 2017 Example: 865 Dealer: North. East-West Vunerable

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

The Auction:

West	North	East	South
	1	Pass	1
Pass	2	Pass	4
Pass	Pass	Pass

On a plain-suit lead, declarer would win and lead a spade to the queen. On this layout, East would winthe trick with the K and shift to the king of trumps.

Declarer would allow that to hold and, after winning the trump continuation, he would cash the A and ruff a spade for his tenth trick. He would lose only two trump tricks and a spade. At the table, West found the annoying lead of the ten of trumps. East followed with the jack of trumps and declarer found the necessary move of playing low from hand. After winning the trump continuation with the ace, declarer cashed the A, played a low club to dummy’s queen and ruffed a diamond. Dummy was re-entered with a low club to the king for a second diamond ruff. Next a club to dummy’s ace allowed declarer to ruff a third diamond. When declarer cashed the ace of spades, he had made one trick in spades, the ace of trumps, three diamond ruffs in hand, the ace of diamonds and three clubs for a total of nine tricks. Finally, he advanced the J. Either this would be declarer’s tenth trick or, if ruffed, dummy’s six of trumps would fill that rôle.