Source: IBPA Column Service Jul 2018
Dealer South. E/W Vul
J 6 5
A 6 5
A K J 7 3
Q 10
A K Q 10 8
J 9 7 2
6 2
K 8
7 4 2
3
9 8 4
9 7 6 5 3 2
9 3
K Q 10 8 4
Q 10 5
A J 4
West
North
East
South
1
2
Pass
31
Pass
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
1- A forcing, fit-showing, jump with at least five hearts
West led out the ace, king and queen of spades. Declarer ruffed, cashed the king of hearts, followed by the ace. The contract could no longer be made. Declarer had to lose a trump and a club for down one.
Tim Bourke
“What bad luck,” said the declarer. Dummy rebutted this with “Rubbish! You were unlikely to make the contract if trumps were 5-0 and you would always make eleven tricks if trumps were 3-2.
So, you should have concentrated on handling a 4-1 break. Your play was fine if East held four trumps but there was a plan available to make ten tricks whenever trumps were 4-1.
Simply cash the king and queen of trumps at tricks four and five. If everyone had followed you would have drawn the last trump with the ace and run the diamonds for the overtrick.
When either player showed out, as East did here, you would have played on diamonds. West could have ruffed in and played a fourth round of spades, but you would have been in control. You would have thrown a club from dummy and ruffed in hand. Then, after leading your remaining trump to dummy’s ace you would have claimed the balance of the tricks, making five trumps, four diamonds and a club.
J 6 5
A 6 5
A K J 7 3
Q 10
