Against the Popular Choice

Pages: Page 4 of 4

Dealer: North
Vuln: E-W
Scoring: Pairs
  1. spade7 5 2
  2. heartA Q 5 4
  3. diamondK 10
  4. clubA Q 4 2
  1. spadeK Q 10 8 6
  2. heart7 2
  3. diamondJ 7 4 3 2
  4. club5
club diamond heart spade NT
N 6 - 5 - 2
S 5 - 5 - 2
E - 1 - 2 -
W - - - 2 -
Green square in centre
  1. spadeA J 9 4 3
  2. heartK J 10
  3. diamond8 6 5
  4. club9 3

Contract: 6club
Declarer: South
Lead: spadeK
  1. spade—
  2. heart9 8 6 3
  3. diamondA Q 9
  4. clubK J 10 8 7 6
Double dummy analyser: makeable contracts
West North East South
1NT* Pass 2club~
Pass 2heart Pass 3club
Pass 4club Pass 4diamond
Pass 4heart Pass 6club
Pass Pass Pass

* 15-17
~ Stayman

Declarer showed excellent technique by ruffing the opening lead, crossing to dummy with a trump and ruffing a second spade. Another trump to dummy was followed by a final spade ruff and three rounds of diamonds. South led heart9 and when West played low this was ducked to East who was endplayed.

This technical line gains whenever East starts with heartKJ, heartK10, or heartK7. It also works whenever East starts with heartKJ(x), heartK10(x) or heartKxx and declarer manages to guess the actual layout when the heart finesse loses and a heart is returned.

Nice work from Mike Newman, who went on to win the event with partner Tom Middleton.
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