25th August 2021


Dealer West
S
103
   
Love All
H
QJ3
   
    D A85
   
    C Q9874
   
S
A9875
    S
J42
H
92
    H
K865
D
3
    D
KJ94
C
AJ632
    C
K5
    S
KQ6
   
    H
A1074
   
    D
Q10762
   
    C
10
   

South
West
North
East

Pass
Pass 1NT
Pass
2H Pass  2S
Pass Pass Double Pass
3D Pass Pass Pass




This deal is from the an EBU online duplicate played by Neil Thomas.
After a simple transfer auction North protected with a take out double, Neil bid three diamonds which ended the auction.
West led a low spade which ran to the jack and queen, Neil then played a spade back towards the ten won by West's ace.
West switched to a trump ducked to East's king.  East now tried a heart which ran to the queen.
Neil now played a club, won by East with the king who returned another club, trumped by Neil, then a diamond to the ace revealed the 4-1 split.

The position was now as below with the lead in dummy.

Dealer West
S

   
Love All
H
J3
   
    D 8
   
    C Q98
   
S
98
    S
4
H
2
    H
K86
D

    D
J9
C
AJ6
    C

    S
Q
   
    H
A107
   
    D
Q10
   
    C

   

A diamond finesse would pick up the trumps, but then there would be a heart loser.  Instead Neil played the jack of hearts to the king and ace, cashed the spade queen and heart ten and ruffed the final heart with the eight of diamonds.  Now he had queen and ten of diamonds over East's jack and nine, a club lead from dummy gave him the last two tricks.