There Was A Better Line

Pages: Page 4 of 4

Dealer: North
Vuln: Game All
Scoring: IMPs
  1. spadeK 9 5 3
  2. heartA
  3. diamondQ 10 6 5
  4. clubK 9 8 4
  1. spadeQ J 10 6
  2. heart9 8 4 2
  3. diamond4 2
  4. clubJ 5 3
club diamond heart spade NT
N 4 5 3 1 3
S 4 5 3 1 2
E - - - - -
W - - - - -
Green square in centre
  1. spadeA 8 7 2
  2. heartK 10 5
  3. diamond8 7 3
  4. clubQ 10 7

Contract: 5diamond
Declarer: South
Lead: spadeQ
  1. spade4
  2. heartQ J 7 6 3
  3. diamondA K J 9
  4. clubA 6 2
Double dummy analyser: makeable contracts
West North East South
1club Pass 1heart
Pass 1spade Pass 2diamond
Pass 3diamond Pass 4club
Pass 4diamond Pass 5diamond
Pass Pass Pass
South should simply throw a club when West continues with spadeJ at trick two. On a trump switch declarer can play to establish his hearts - win the trump, heartA, clubA, heart ruff, spade ruff, heart ruff, draw trumps and claim. On any other West play at trick three South has the necessary timing to make the rest of the tricks on a cross-ruff.

The club discard at trick two makes it more difficult for the defence to find the required trump switch. West may be up to this but South will not have had his trumps depleted when he is forced to resort to the alternative line of establishing his hearts. This allows South an extra entry to hand after heartA has been unblocked.
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