18th January 2017

A deal from a first division league match on 10th January.

Dealer S Love All.

S 104
H KQJ2
D 9743
C 1087
   


   
S AKQ3
H 1093
D AJ62
C AK

South
West
North
East
2NT
Pass
3C Pass
3S Pass 3NT Pass
Pass
Pass



You reach 3NT quickly and West leads the five of clubs.  You win and play two rounds of hearts but the ace does not appear.
There is no point in playing a third heart, you will never get to dummy to cash the fourth heart.
There are genuine chances to make an extra diamond trick if East has KQ, K10 or Q10 doubleton, so you try a diamond to the five, jack and king.
West now leads another club.  What now?


Solution

Your only chance is that West has six clubs and East started with Axxx of hearts.
Cash your top spades and the ace of diamonds and lead a heart.  East can cash a couple of spades (having started with five) but has to concede the last trick to dummy.



S
104
   

H
KQJ2
   
    D 9743
   
    C 1087
   
S
86
    S
J9752
H
54
    H
A876
D
K108
    D
Q5
C
Q96532
    C
J4
    S
AKQ3
   
    H
1093
   
    D
AJ62
   
    C
AK
   

This deal was successfully played by Martin Taylor.