Winner-on-Winner

South, a pretty face, dealt this hand and opened 1♥, North straightaway jumped to 4♥. Recognising West’s lead as a short suit lead, she quickly attacked trumps after winning the first club. West played small and East won the ♥A to lead second club. South persisted in trumps, East signaling with the ♦10, as West won ♥K. West led a diamond to East’s ♦A and a third round of clubs set a ruff for West, sending the game down one and causing a look of pain on pretty face. 

South should have understood that the ♦A is a greater threat to her than a trump honor. Therefore declarer should have played a diamond before playing trumps. 

East would have captured dummy’s ♦Q with her ♦A and returned a club. Now, a spade to dummy’s ♠A and South could have discarded her last high club on dummy’s ♦K — the winner-on-winner play. It was safe for South to lead trumps now regardless of how the defenders maneuvre; all that was left for them just two top trump tricks. 

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose!

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A Desperation Lead

East plays the ♠J and South the ♠A. South led a low club to the ♣Q and ♣K by East. East returned a spade to dummy’s ♠Q. South continued with a low club to the ♣9 and West took it with the ♣10. West exited with a trump (it doesn’t matter what West led at this point), to dummy’s ♥A. 

South cashed the ♥K, crossed to the §A and when clubs divided 3-3, South was home. South continued to dummy’s ♥J, discarded his last spade on the established club, and conceded a diamond. 

Unnecessary was the desperation lead! One spade, one diamond and two club losers, down one! 

Never allow yourself to be so desperate that you end up settling for far less than what you deserve!

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No Loss But May Gain

North-South soon reached the contract of 5♣. West continued with the ♥K at trick two. There were two certain losers a club and spade finesse. 

South took good five minutes and played to the perfection. Perhaps, he analyzed if West has both the ♥AK, obviously some club shortness and has failed to bid. West’s silence suggests that East probably has both ♣A and ♠K. This could give South a slightly better, albeit marginal, chance for an endplay. 

Clearly, East has the heart length while West has the heart strength. South did the best thing possible. Trumped the second heart and played ♦AK. Trumped a diamond in the dummy with the ♣6 and then led a club. East had a singleton ♣A and no more diamonds, he was end played. East, on winning the ♣A, must lead a spade or return a heart, permitting South to discard a spade while ruffling in the dummy. 

South’s partial elimination came with a no-loss and a lot of gain. ‘You must lose everything in order to gain anything!’ 

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An Unavoidable Trap

West led the ♥K and South can count on seven trump winners, dummy’s ♥A and one diamond trick. South needn’t be genius to realize that the defenders will duck the first diamond lead to prevent him from running the suit. With the ♣A almost assuredly behind the ♣K, how would South manage this formidable task? 

The first step is to duck the ♥K lead. Then win the dummy’s ♥A continuation and third round of hearts should be ruffed in the hand. Then trumps should be drawn in three rounds and South should lead a diamond to dummy’s ♦9, West ducking! 

If South continues diamonds, the defense is easy.  West will win and exit safely in hearts and would wait for South to lead clubs. 

However, if South leads dummy’s fourth heart and ruffs, he can catch West in an unavoidable trap. South now will lead his second diamond, and West is helpless. If he ducks, it’s declarer’s tenth trick, if he wins, West must lead away from his ♣A, allowing South’s ♣K to score a trick. 

“A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep” 

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The Right Timing

East’s 1NT shows a hand that would open 1NT – about 15-17 high card points and a club stopper. The double by South is for penalty. North didn’t have much for defense, so he pulled out to 3 clubs and now South bid 3NT. 

Timing can be critical when there are several fragile suit combinations and several tricks to lose before you can establish the winners you require to make your contract. East is marked with almost all the outstanding high cards. 

South, a young pretty, witty dame, won the ♠A at trick one. Since East is marked with the ♠K, she played a club towards the ♣Q. East could win the ♣K or duck and win a club later but it is too late for him to set up the heart tricks. 

If the young chick had made the reflex play at trick one by following low from dummy, East would have won and switched to a heart and it would have been too late for pretty, witty South to set up her ninth trick. 

Don’t wait. The time will never be just right!

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Twitter ID  : @HemaDeora