Entry Planning

When you play a strong club system, you need to prepare to receive many opposition bid. This happens in this deal. North open 1C (strong), East bid 1S, you double, West raise to 2S. North double, you bid 3D, North 4C and you bid 4H which become the final contract.

West opening lead is ♠Q, how do you plan the play?

Dummy

♠ A 2

♥ K Q J 4

♦ K

♣ A K 7 6 5 2

You

♠ 9 8 7

♥ 10 9 5 3

♦ A 9 8 4

♣ J 3

Many declarers fail to land this contract. They just only get 9 tricks when the club breaks unevenly. Here is the most common plans conducted by declarer.

Win with ♠ A, then

Cash ♦K

Play &the clubs; A and K.

Unfortunately, east ruff the second club and return trump.

Declarer is a trick short when East who ruff originally has only 2 trump. So, West will enjoy the last trump when declarer cross ruff.

There is a better solution to this problem if declarer can plan carefully. We need to think if the club break badly.

An immediate cash of ♣ A and K are the solution by keeping the ♦K as an entry to set up the clubs.

Say, east ruff the second club and cash ♠K and return the trump. West win with the Ace, and play another trump.

Win it in dummy, ruff club.

Diamond to the King, and ruff the club.

You can ruff your ♦A in dummy, to draw the last trump and enjoying the club.

It's very simple if you think it carefully.

Below are the complete deal.

	♠ A 2
	♥ K Q J 4
	♦ K
	♣ A K 7 6 5 2
West		East
♠ Q J x		♠ K 10 x x x
♥ A x x		♥ x x
♦ Q J x		♦ 10 x x x x
♣ Q 9 x x		♣ 10
	Declarer
	♠ 9 8 7
	♥ 10 9 5 3
	♦ A 9 8 4
	♣ J 3

Smother Play

In recent No Weekend Without Bridge Tournament, I found out an interesting deal as below.

RHO opponent open with 2♣ (precision), I overcall with 2NT with ♠J9 ♥Q98 ♦AKQ65 ♣A93, LHO support with 3♣. My partner bid 4♣ as indication to have both majors. So, I bid 4♥. All pass.

West start with ♣J, how do you plan to land the contract?

	♠ 10 8 6 5 4 2
	♥ A 7 6 5 4
	♦ 10 6
	♣ void
	Declarer
	♠ J 9
	♥ Q 8 7
	♦ A K Q 5 4
	♣ A 9 3

At the least we are not in 4♠ without chance at all. With correct defense, event 4♥ is beatable.

I need to assume some key cards in order to land this contract. Heart shall be 3-2 and ♥K doubleton. It will be nice if diamond breaks 3-3.

So, I ruff the opening lead and lead a small heart from dummy. RHO win with ♥K, and thanks he switched to diamond. Winning with the Ace, I play ♠9. RHO won with ♠Q and returned another diamond.

Won with ♦K, I play another spade, RHO win with ♠K.

With no more diamond, RHO returned club, which is too late.

Won with the Ace, I cash ♥Q, both follow. Then ♦Q and diamond ruff.

Ruff a spade and run the diamond winner, smother LHO trump. A great end. However, the contract was solely saved by the defender who returned diamond. If RHO return club anytime he win, the contract shall be failed.

The complete distribution was as below.

	♠ 10 8 6 5 4
	♥ A 7 6 5 4
	♦ 10 6
	♣ void
West		East
♠ A x x		♠ K Q
♥ J x x		♥ K 10
♦ J x x x		♦ x x
♣ J10 3		♣ K Q x x x x x
	Declarer
	♠ J 9
	♥ Q 8 7
	♦ A K Q 5 4
	♣ A 9 3