15th February 2017

Dealer South
S
1076
   
E/W Vul
H
A1095
   
    D AK
   
    C 6543
   
S
95
    S
AK832
H
KQ7
    H
J643
D
1074
    D
Q653
C
AKQ97
    C
-
    S
QJ4
   
    H
82
   
    D
J982
   
    C
J1082
   


This deal is board 3 (appropriately) from the Cheadle Hulme duplicate on 30th January.

So why appropriately?  If you look at how many tricks East West can make you will find that they can fulfill a contract of three clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades and notrump exactly.

In three notrump or three spades you lose one spade, one heart and two diamonds.  In three hearts, depending how the play goes, you lose two hearts and two diamonds or one heart and three diamonds.  In three diamonds you lose three diamonds and a heart, while in three clubs you lose two diamonds, a heart and a club.