♠ A 8 6 4 3 ♥ A K 5 3 ♦ A 2 ♣ 7 5 |
♠ K75 ♥ Q76 ♦ 8753 ♣ A84 |
Declaring 4 ♠ on the above hands (on ♣ K lead), you would duck (winning is fine), take the second club, cash ♠ AK (both following), then, leaving the master trump outstanding, play out the top hearts. If the suit splits 3-3, you have a long card; but there is no heart split that bothers you, for you can simply trump your fourth heart with dummy’s remaining trump (not minding if and when their master trump is used). Now look at our featured - similar
but not quite the same - 4 ♠ contract.
South Deals None Vul |
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East | South | West | North |
1 ♠ | Pass | 2 ♠1 | |
Pass | 4 ♠2 | Pass | Pass |
Pass |
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What happened
Declarer ducked ♣ K lead (good communication-cutting play), won ♣ Q continuation with ♣ A, cashed ♠ AK, then, leaving ♠ Q outstanding, led ♥ AK and a third heart. No good - West won ♥ 10, cashed ♠ Q drawing dummy’s last trump, then cashed ♥ Q. Down one. Playing ♥ AK and a third heart before touching trumps would be no good either. West could win and lead a fourth heart, promoting East’s trump holding.
What should have happened
You saw the smooth way to play our introductory pair of hands. Manoeuvre to that position, and you will have a similarly smooth time.
The correct line is to win the second club, and duck a heart (key play). You can ruff the likely third club, cash ªAK, then play ©AK and ruff the fourth heart with dummy’s remaining trump. Game made.
If you remember one thing...
Look for early ducking plays, recalling a familiar motto: “if you have to lose a trick in a suit, lose the first round”.