Jim's Rule

Dealer: North
Vuln: N-S
Scoring: Pairs

  1. spade6 4
  2. heartA 10 4
  3. diamondA K Q J 10 8
  4. club4 2
  1. spadeK 9 8 3
  2. heartK 3
  3. diamond9 7 6 5 4 2
  4. clubK
Green square in centre
  1. spadeJ 10 7 2
  2. heartJ 9 8 7 5
  3. diamond3
  4. clubQ 1 0 9

Contract: 6club
Declarer: South
Lead: heartK

  1. spadeA Q 5
  2. heartQ 6 2
  3. diamond
  4. clubA J 8 7 6 5 3
West North East South
1diamond Pass 2club Pass
3diamond Pass 3spade Pass
3NT Pass 4club Pass
4heart Pass 6club Pass
Pass Pass
The Random Hacker (RH) sitting North was toying with converting to 6diamond until he caught Jim's steely glare, causing him to reflect on hitherto undeclared powerful club support.

West went into the tank. North's biddng must surely show good diamonds with a heart control. There was no Lightner double from partner, so a diamond was a pointless lead - especially as declarer would likely be void. A club lead was out of the question, and just before Alf led an attacking spade, he had another thought. There was a strong case for leading a heart - the king of course. This could remove North's vital outside entry and the horrendous diamond break would make it impossible for South to obtain enough quick discards.
Reasoning thus, West plonked heartK on the table. The sight of dummy sent West into internal ecstasy for his expert analysis would surely secure its due reward - the 1968 Bulls Brilliancy Prize.
Jim pondered. This diabolical lead had cut communications with dummy, but at least two heart tricks were assured. In the meantime there was nothing to do but start the diamonds. A heart was ditched on the first winner but East quickly ruffed diamondK with club9, killing dummy stone dead. Overruffing with clubJ, Jim took stock. Even if the trumps had originally started 2-2 there were potentially still two additional losers in hand - somehow dummy would have to be resurrected. To maximise chances of an end-play, and to see if heartJ miraculously dropped, Jim cashed heartQ and exited with club8. This was the end position with West unexpectedly finding himself on lead:
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