Elegance Or Good Guessing

Pages: Page 6 of 6

Dealer: South
Vuln: Game All
Scoring: IMPs
  1. spadeA J 8 4
  2. heartA 4
  3. diamond10 2
  4. clubK 8 6 3 2
  1. spade5 3
  2. heartK Q 8 7 3 2
  3. diamondK 7 6
  4. clubQ J
club diamond heart spade NT
N 6 3 1 6 5
S 6 3 1 6 5
E - - - - -
W - - - - -
Green square in centre
  1. spade10 9 2
  2. heartJ 10 9 6
  3. diamondJ 9 5 3
  4. club9 4

Contract: 6spade
Declarer: South
Lead: heartK
  1. spadeK Q 7 6
  2. heart5
  3. diamondA Q 8 4
  4. clubA 10 7 5
Double dummy analyser: makeable contracts
West North East South
1club
1heart Dble* Pass 3spade
Pass 4club~ Pass 4diamond
Pass 4heart Pass 4spade
Pass 4NT# Pass 5club
Pass 6spade End

* negative, guarantees four spade
~ forcing
# RKCB

The elegant line is to opt for the Principle of Restricted Choice and play a club to the ten without drawing the last trump. As you can see, West wins clubJ but is end-played - either he must lead a diamond into the jaws of ace-queen or concede a ruff and discard. Had you drawn the last trump then West could painlessly exit with a heart and you would have to take the losing diamond finesse.

Of course, if you are a good guesser there is always the straightforward line ..
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