Source: Play Safe & Win  Dealer South. All VUL
7 6 2 A 8 A 6 2 J 8 5 3 2
A K Q 5 3 J 7 K Q 8 4 A 10
West North East South
1
Pass 2 Pass 4
Pass Pass Pass
West leads the K.

Whats are your plans?

If the trumps are kind you eill easily make your ten tricks. And a 4-1 trump break will no trouble you if the diamonds are 3-3. The most probable diamonds split is 4-2, however. The spectre that haunts you from the beginning is the possibility of 4-1 trumps and 4-2diamonds. In this event you must aim to lose one trick in each suit except diamonds. If your planning is sound you will let West win the first trick with his K. Your general strategy is to keep open the possibility of ruffing a diamond in dummy yourself while cutting the enemy communications. The precaution is necessary for the complete deal is:
7 6 2 A 8 A 6 2 J 8 5 3 2
9 K Q 10 6 2 J 7 5 3 Q 9 4 J 10 8 2 9 5 4 3 10 9 K 7 6
A K Q 5 3 J 7 K Q 8 4 A 10
After winning the first trick West has nothing better to do than continue with a second heart. Dummy’s ace wins and your test trumps with the ace and king. As you feared the division is 4-1. Now everything depends on avoiding a loser in diamonds. You cash the K and continue with diamond to the A. Whe East follows all is well. You no longer have to rely on the 3-3 break. When you play the next diamond from the table East is cought in a dilemma. If he sacrifices his trump trick on your diamond loser, you can subsequently draw the remaining trump and claim ten tricks. If he discards, your queen wins and your fourth diamond is ruffed in dummy. Whether East ruffs or not, he can score no more than the one natural trump that is his due. Note the importance of allowing West to win the first trick. If you take the ace of hearts at trick one and plan the play on the same lines, any East who is not completely asleep will defeat you by ruffing the third diamond, putting his partner in with the queen of hearts, and ruffing the fourth diamond with his remaining trump.

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