Nice Twist

Pages: Page 6 of 6

Dealer: West
Vuln: N-S
Scoring: IMPs
  1. spadeA 6 4
  2. heartJ 3
  3. diamondK 8 7 5 4
  4. clubK Q J
  1. spadeK Q 8 5 3 2
  2. heartQ 9 6 5
  3. diamond—
  4. clubA 10 4
club diamond heart spade NT
N - 4 - - -
S - 4 - - -
E 1 - 1 3 -
W 1 - 1 3 -
Green square in centre
  1. spadeJ 10 9
  2. heartK 10 2
  3. diamondA 9 3
  4. club9 7 6 3

Contract: 4spade
Declarer: West
Lead: clubQ
  1. spade7
  2. heartA 8 7 4
  3. diamondQ J 10 6 2
  4. club8 5 2
Double dummy analyser: makeable contracts
West North East South
1spade Pass 2spade Pass
3heart* Pass 4spade Pass
Pass Pass

* long suit trial bid

. . . declarer did err by rising with the king. He should have struck lucky because heartJ was coming down in two rounds, but South was a good defender and smoothly ducked dummy's heartK. West now took a losing heart finesse of the nine. Can you see why West should have got this one right - even at this late stage?

The answer is that South must have heartA otherwise North, who knew clubJ was standing up, would have known to fly in with spadeA on the first round. No, West should have risen with heartQ on the second heart and taken the opportunity North had given him.
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