8th June 2022


Dealer W NS Vul

S A43
H A9
D KJ85
C K1053
   


   
S Q10965
H J103
D A104
C A8

South
West
North
East

2H Double
Pass
4S Pass
Pass Pass


A deal from an EBU online duplicate.
After a simple auction you reach four spades.
West leads the two of clubs to the three, queen and ace.
You play a spade to the ace and another spade which East wins with the king, West still following.
East now plays the four of clubs to the eight, jack and king.
You draw the last trump, West discarding the two of hearts.  How do you play now?

Scroll down for solution

































Solution


John Currie decided that West was likely to be 2623.  But why had West led a club rather than a diamond?  John guessed that West had initially held Qx of diamonds.  He backed his card reading by playing ace and a low diamond.  When the queen appeared on the second round he scored twelve tricks for an excellent score on the board.  One extra trick for guessing the diamonds right and another from the opponents giving him a trick in the club suit (East should have played the nine on the first club trick).



The full deal was

Dealer West
S
A43
   
NS Vul
H
A9
   
    D KJ85
   
    C K1053
   
S
72
    S
KJ8
H
K76542
    H
Q8
D
Q3
    D
9762
C
J62
    C
Q974
    S
Q10965
   
    H
J103
   
    D
A104
   
    C
A8