Another Interesting Hand

In favorable vulnerability, right hand opponent open with strong NT (15-17), I hold ♠ 3 ♥Q 3 ♦AKJ873 ♣ 9763 and overcall 3D. All pass. West started with ♥5. Plan your play!

	Dummy
	♠ Q J 7 2
	♥ 10 8 7 2
	♦ 6 5
	♣ A Q J
	Declarer
	♠ 3
	♥ Q 3
	♦ AKJ873
	♣ 9763

East won with the ♥ K and switch to a small diamond. Not knowing the position of high cards yet, I chose to play the Ace and continue with club finesse. East won with the King and return a small spade. This return will bring home the contract. Won with the ♠ A, West return another club. Here the position after 5 tricks and defender has won 3 tricks.

	Dummy
	♠ Q J 7
	♥ 10 8 7
	♦ 6
	♣ A
	Declarer
	♠
	♥ Q
	♦ KJ873
	♣ 97

How do you continue? Ruffing finesse spade for club discard? Not logic. If you want to do that it means club divided evenly. So finesse diamond, draw one more round of trump and play heart. East was end-play. Here are the complete hand

	Dummy
	♠ Q J 7 2
	♥ 10 8 72
	♦ 6 5
	♣ A Q J
West		East
♠ A 10 6 5		♠ K x x x
♥ J 6 5		♥ A K 9 x-
♦ x x		♦ Q x x
♣ 10 x x x		♣ K x
	Declarer
	♠ 3
	♥ Q 3
	♦ AKJ873
	♣ 9 7 6 3

The interesting aspect is when East return club at trick 4. Won in dummy, finesse a diamond then declarer play a spade. If West follows the rule of second hand low, he gives declarer the contract. West will be squeezed in 3 suits: club, heart and spade.

Many ways to bring home the contract

Last night I played online bridge in Bridge Base, famous with BBO. I found out an interesting board as below. You West Partner East

You	North	Partner	South
1H	pass	2H	pass
4H	pass	pass	pass

Here are the complete deal.

	Dummy
	♠ K 7 5 2
	♥ J 8 7 2
	♦ Q J 7
	♣ 8 2
West		East
♠ AJ109		♠ 8 6 3
♥ Q 10 5		♥ K
♦ A1065		♦ K9832
♣ 7 6		♣ KJ54
	Declarer
	♠ Q4
	♥ A 9 6 4 3
	♦ 4
	♣ A Q 10 9 3

I have to bring the game contract in heart. West start with ♣ 7. After winning East' ♣ K, I play Ace of trump and continue. West win the 2nd round and play a third heart. I won in dummy and finesse club to bring home the contract. On the other table, West start with ♦ A and continue. South ruffs and then play the Ace of trump. When the King drops from East, South continues with a small spade. West is in dilemma. If he plays the Ace, then declarer just need a club finesse to land the contract. Because 2 more club loosers can be discarded from diamond and ♠ K. So, West plays small spade. Won with the King, declarer then plays the ♦Q to discard his ♠ Q. Finesse club and cross ruff club and spade and West discards all his spade during the process. Declarer has 9 tricks so far and just need 1 more trick. Here are the 3 cards ending when declarer play spade from dummy.

	Dummy
	♠ 7 5
	♥ J
	♦ -
	♣ -
West		East
♠ -		♠ 8
♥ Q 10		♥ -
♦ 10		♦ 9 2
♣ -		♣ -
	Declarer
	♠ -
	♥ 9 6
	♦ -
	♣ 10

When East play ♠ 8, declarer knows that the 8 is the highest spade. If he ruffs, west will overruff and draw his trumps, so he discards his club winner. If trump was 2-2, then he is safe as he will get his 10th trick. If East started with his lonely ♥K, then by discarding his ♥J will win en-passan. So, there are many ways to land the contract.