What is the Best Contract And Line

Pages: Page 5 of 5

Dealer: North
Vuln: Game All
Scoring: Pairs
  1. spadeA Q 10 2
  2. heartA K
  3. diamond10 9 8 5 2
  4. club5 4
  1. spadeK 8 5 3
  2. heartJ 4 3
  3. diamond6 3
  4. clubK Q 8 6
club diamond heart spade NT
N 2 3 4 2 4
S 2 3 5 2 4
E - - - - -
W - - - - -
Green square in centre
  1. spadeJ 9 6
  2. heart7 2
  3. diamondK Q J 7
  4. club9 7 3 2

Contract: 4heart
Declarer: South
Lead: diamond6
  1. spade7 4
  2. heartQ 10 9 8 6 5
  3. diamondA 4
  4. clubA J 10
Double dummy analyser: makeable contracts
West North East South
1diamond Pass 1heart
Pass 1spade Pass 3heart*
Pass 4heart End

* surely 2club, 4SF, is better

At the table South threw a spade, West ruffed and returned a spade as expected, so South rose with spadeA and took a second club finesse. He was distraught to see West win the next trick with the queen of clubs and even more so when he learned who had spadeK. 4heart was one down.

Of course, when West won the first club with the king it could not be classed as true false card in the way that we generally intend, but West was trying to create the impression that East had the queen.

Personally, I think South got what he deserved. I am not at all convinced that his line was correct. A spade finesse at trick two opens up communications and even if it loses declarer has several other chances, including the establishment of the fifth diamond. Maybe they should have bid better - there is always 3NT!!!
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