Here is a hand from the USA Women’s Trials 2009, as reported by David Greenwood and Andrew Robson. I found it instructive because it illustrates the value of counting your winners.
South dealt and EW were vulnerable. Imagine you are sitting South and playing 4S. Here are your hand and dummy:
S: AKJ6
H: AK54
D: Q86
C: A8
S: ? S: ?
H: ? H: ?
D: ? D: ?
C: ? C: ?
S: 1098742
H: Q
D: 107
C: 10974
West led the nine of diamonds to East’s jack. East continued with the king of diamonds and West shows out. East now leads the ace of diamonds. What do you play from hand?
At the table, declarer ruffed with the spade ten, hoping that East had the queen. West overruffed with the queen and led the queen of clubs. Declarer won the ace, pulled trumps and cashed high hearts. However, this still only came to nine tricks, five trumps, three hearts and the ace of clubs. Declarer had to lose a club at the end for down one.
So what did you play from hand on the third diamond? The full deal is shown below.
S: AKJ6
H: AK54
D: Q86
C: A8
S: Q5 S: 3
H: J1087632 H: 9
D: 9 D: AKJ5432
C: QJ3 C: K652
S: 1098742
H: Q
D: 107
C: 10974
If declarer counts winners, the contract can be made easily. She has six trump tricks, provided only that West is not void in trumps, three top hearts and the ace of clubs. The important thing is not to throw away one of these trump tricks by being over ruffed.
So what do you play at trick three? The answer is to throw a losing club from hand. The defence is now helpless. You win any return (if East continues a fourth round of diamonds you ruff on board), pull trumps, cash the queen of hearts, lead a low trump to get to board and throw your remaining clubs on dummy’s two top hearts. You have your ten winners and game.
If you have bridge questions, or to send me your interesting hands, please contact me at: [email protected].
