Many times, when dummy lies down;  the declarer realizes he is playing a higher contract than he would like;  the issue is to have enough technique skills to handle such situations, let’s see: Dealer: North; E/W Vul
K Q 7 5 10 9 7 3 8 A K Q 6
10 A 6 5 K 7 6 5 4 J 7 5 2 6 4 Q J 8 4 J 10 9 3 2 8 2
A J 9 8 3 2 K 2 A Q 10 9 4
The Bidding
West North East South
1a Pass 1b
Pass 2c Pass 3
Pass 4d Pass 4
Dbl 4 5 6NT
Pass Pass Pass
a 1 = 15+ or 15 a 17 balanced b 1 = 4 or more spades c 2 = 15 – 17 with four spades d 4 = cue bid and an even number of keycards Opening Lead: 10
Massimiliano di Franco
Massimiliano di Franco
The declarer count winners: 6 spade tricks, 4 probable club tricks and the A, adds 11 tricks, but East’s intervention perhaps means he has the K and that can give declarer his 12th trick. Di Franco won the lead and run all his spades, West pitched 4 diamonds and one heart. East 3 diamonds and one heart. Now he was correct when he thought that the spade lead showed the West didnt have a sure lead and as neither defender pitched a club, declarer played the 10 and let it run, winning the trick. Afterwards South played his three high clubs, this was the three cards end position:
10 9 8
A 6 K   Q J 10
K A Q
At this moment Massimiliano thought: “East couldnt show a 4 cards suit during the bidding, so he played a diamond to the A and received his reward, watching West’s K and making 12 tricks. Was Massimiliano who told me this hand: ” I cashed 2 spades and seeing he lead from a stiff 10 (very dangerous) I thought he must have leading problems in the other suits. I cashed spades (West discarding 4 diamonds and 1 heart) and I run the 10 wich made the trick… Now I am in a three cards end position with 3 cards AQ of diamonds and K stiff and decided to cash the ace of diamond thinking East would not bid 5 diamonds with only 4 cards and I was right… 😆”