28th February 2018


S 8432
H KQ8
D 5
C AJ543
   


   
S AQ10
H A1065
D QJ10
C K86

Love all Dealer East IMPs

South
West
North
East



Pass
1NT
Pass
2C Pass
2H Pass
3NT
Pass
Pass
Pass



This deal is from a Crockford's Cup match in January.
You reach three notrump after a simple Stayman auction, West leads the six of diamonds to East's ace and the eight of diamonds is returned, West ducking this.
How do you plan the play?

Solution

If the hearts provide four tricks, then you need only four tricks from the black suits, but if the hearts only play for three tricks you need five tricks from the black suits.

So try the hearts first.  If the hearts play for four tricks cash the ace and king of clubs, giving yourself the extra chance of a doubleton queen of clubs off side, if the clubs are unfriendly take the spade finesse.

If the hearts play for three tricks, cash the king of clubs and take the club finesse, since you need at least four club tricks.

In practice the hearts played for only three tricks, but the club queen was singleton onside, so you needed the spade finesse to work which it duly did.


The full deal was

Dealer East
S
8432
   
Love All
H
KQ8
   
    D 5
   
    C AJ543
   
S
J976
    S
K5
H
32
    H
J974
D
K97643
    D
A82
C
Q
    C
10972
    S
AQ10
   
    H
A1065
   
    D
QJ10
   
    C
K86