HOMEPAGE > QUIZ > HAND OF THE WEEK > WEEK 42

Dealer : South
Vuln : Both

HAND OF THE WEEK #42
Watch the Spots by Matthew Granovetter

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     North
    10 8 3 2
    Q 6
    A K 9 5 4
    J 10
West
Q 6 4
10 9
J 7 2
A Q 9 7 5
East You
J 9 7
J 8 5 3
Q 10 6
6 4 3
 

   South
    A K 5
    A K 7 4 2
    8 3
    K 8 2

Declarer was planning to duck the heart, because he
could not afford for you to get on play and lead a club
through his king. Did you work out to play the jack of
hearts on the second round of the suit? The jack and
the 8 are equal cards. Here's why. Partner's 10 should
indicate 10-9 doubleton, so you can afford to play
that jack, preventing declarer from ducking the second
heart trick to partner. If you play low on the second
heart lead, West wins the trick with the 9 and declarer
has nine tricks: two spades, four hearts, two diamonds
and a club.

Perhaps declarer should have tried the 6 of hearts at
trick two (before playing the queen). It would have
been almost impossible for East to play the jack on
this trick. But East might play the 8 of hearts on the
6, if the 6 is led first. And then declarer does not
know to play low, since West could easily hold the
3 or 5. In fact, if you played the 8 on the actual
problem (on the second round of hearts), you probably
beat the hand, since declarer can't be sure where the
5 is (West might have started with 10-9-5), and
declarer can't afford to duck the trick. (So take half
credit if you played the 8.)

For those of you who play Smith Echo, this is not
the time for West to signal with 10-x of hearts. His
10 must indicate the 9, so partner can make the
right play on the next trick.

Have a nice weekend!

South
1
3NT

West
pass
all pass

North
2
 

East
pass
 

Opening lead: 7 (fourth best)

 

 

 

 

 

 


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