Bridge hands are not only interesting informative but are useful in imparting some finer techniques both in the play and defense of the hands. Today's illustration is a classic example of being a lesson for both the declarer and the defenders.
North south land in a contract of 4S with the following holding and bidding:
West is on lead and he starts of course with his solid hearts, the KH followed by the AH. First of all, let us put the readers in the west seat to plan his defense. The fact that east shows a doubleton in hearts means that south has a doubleton too in hearts. West looking at the dummy can well imagine the KS trapped. If south's bid of 2S over east's 2C is to be considered, it surely means that with probably just the QS with a 5 or 6 carder holding, south has at least 9 solid tricks with the trump finesse on if his spade holding is a 5 carder. But if a 6 carder, he has 10 tricks on top.
As west what should be your approach to look for that extra trick which can beat the contract after assuming that east can provide a trick in diamonds. The clubs are of course solid for the declarer holds not more than 2 clubs.
This means that there is only a thin ray of hope if a trick can be notched up in trumps. May be east holds a honour in trumps, either 105 or even remotely possible QS. Of course in 99% cases, west will go on rattling his solid hearts, with east signaling 9C on the QH. But a more alert defender in west's seat would pause to fish for that extra trick. How? Answer is by taking the only chance of getting south to over ruff the third heart. That may be the silver lining for trump promotion of west's trumps.
Even if east does not hold the 10 or queen of spades, a mandatory ruff of say the 6S can still be the wining defense. But to make sure that east ruffs the third heart with his highest trump holding, as west you must lead a low heart and not the QH, to make east ruff compulsorily. Let us now reveal the east and south hands for learning one lesson in Bridge.
What looked easy for south with the trump finesse on to score 10 tricks can become quite murky when west forces his partner to ruff with the 6S. South over ruffing with the 10S will now have to concede a trump trick to the defenders who collecting 2 heart tricks, a diamond trick and now a trump trick will be able to down south in his contract.
Well, what about our lesson for the play? Or did you back on the defense only. No? Then credit must go to you for visualizing the correct play despite the fine defense put up. Can you spot the correct line of play? Simple, now that the cards are visible. Yes, you got it if you are now sitting as south. All you have to do is to restrain yourself from over ruffing. Instead you discard a loser on loser - your inevitable diamond loser. The defense is kaput collapsing again. For as south now after discarding the diamond and taking the trump finesse successfully you can easily call out 'Table up'!
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North
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A J 7
9 8 7
A K 4 3
A K 2
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West
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K 9 8
A K Q J 10 2
10
10 6 5
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The bidding proceeded:
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W N E S
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1H Dbl 2C 2S
3H 4S ALL PASS
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East
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6
6 5
Q 10 8 7 2
Q J 9 8 7
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South
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Q 10 5 4 3 2
4 3
9 6 5
4 3
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