♦  ♥ 

 BRIDGE WITHOUT TEARS

  ♦  ♥ 

              
 

 North leads ]Q against West's contract of 3[. Plan the play to give the maximum chance of success.

   ♠ Q J 10 7 4
  A Q 7
  10 3
 ♣ Q 6 5
 

 

                         ♠ A 9 2
                         ♥
K 4 3
                         ♦
K J 6
                        
♣ A 9 8 3



 
 W
 N


  S
   E
  ♠ 5 3
  8 6 5
  A Q 4 2
 ♣ K 10 4 2
 

 ♠ K 8 6
  J 10 9 2
  9 8 7 5
 ♣ J 7

 

The risk is that declarer may lose one spade trick, one club and, if South gains the lead, three heart tricks. The plan must be to prevent South obtaining the lead. If South puts ♠ K on North's ♠ Q declarer must win with ♠ A. If not, declarer must allow ♠ Q to hold the trick and win the second spade instead. When playing trumps declarer goes over to ♣ K and leads a club back towards  ♣ A 9 8, intending to finesse  ♣ 9 if South plays low. When  ♣J appears from South declarer wins with  ♣ A. He abandons trumps now (in case South holds  ♣ Q)  and runs the diamonds, discarding a heart loser from hand.  North can trump with his remaining  ♣ Q but is forced to open up the heart suit or give a ruff and discard by leading another spade..
 

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