17th April 2019

Dealer S Both vulnerable.

S A
H A
D KJ1065
C AKJ943
   


   
S 1097632
H 983
D A42
C 2

South
West
North
East
Pass
2H (1) 4NT
Pass
5D Pass
6D Pass
Pass
Pass



(1) Five hearts and four of another suit, 5-10 points.

A deal from the Preston Bridge Club blue point pairs on Sunday.

After West had opened a Lucas two hearts North bid four notrump for the minors and hoping that his partner had a useful card or two raised to slam.
West led the spade king, how do you play?

Solution

It is likely, but not certain, that West's second suit is spades.  Certainly East is more likely to hold the diamond queen than West.  If you play king of diamonds followed by the jack of diamonds and East has three diamonds, then you will have to draw the last trump and hope the clubs come in for one loser without ruffing any of them.  Better is to run the jack of diamonds at trick two, then a diamond to the ace, a club to the ace and ruff a club, then back to the heart ace to draw the last trump.  This will make if the clubs split 4-2 or better or if ten or queen of clubs is singleton.  Unfortunately the clubs were 5-1 so the contract was unmakeable.