5th Mar 2025

Dealer West			A87
Love All			KJ64
			KJ75
			84
	KQ1054				J
	A7532				8
	2				Q10643
	Q7				J109632
			9632
			Q109
			A98
			AK5

South	West	North	East
	1	Pass	Pass
1NT(1)	Pass	2(2)	3
Pass	Pass	3NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

(1)  11-15 does not guarantee a stop

(2)  Stayman

Another deal from the Tollemache Final

Doubling three clubs would be a surer way to get a plus score, but North was unsure as to whether the double was take out or penalty and three notrump rated to have a decent play.

On the queen of clubs lead declarer, Phil Taylor, won and played the heart queen from hand.  West won the ace of hearts and persevered with clubs.  South won and played a second heart.  When East showed out the hand is open book.  West is 5512 or 6502 and East is 1156 or 0166.  All declarer has to do is cash the major suit winners keeping track of diamond discards, then play a diamond to the ace.  Declarer will know if East has bared the diamond queen or, if not, can throw him in with a club to lead way from the diamond queen at the end.

Thanks to Nicholas Greer for reporting this deal