Avoiding an End Play by F. Stewart

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The Dispatch – Sep 28, 1993

It’s annoying to be end-played into giving declarer his contract, but he can’t end-play you unless you leave yourself without a safe exit.aa

After cashing the king of clubs, West led the ace and a low club. South ruffed, took the top diamonds, ruffed a diamond, and drew trumps.

He next led a heart from dummy, planning to play the nine. East did his best by putting up the jack, but South covered with the queen. West won, but had no safe exit.

A heart gives South a free finesse, a club lets South ruff in dummy and discard a heart.

SAFE LEAD: Most players would cash the second club but that natural looking play lost by helping South eliminate West’s safe leads.

Say West shifts instead to a trump at Trick Tow. South wins, takes the diamond suitA-diamond suitK and a diamond ruff and leads the queen of clubs. West wins and leads another trump. South wins in dummy and ruffs a club: but to return to dummy for a heart lead he must use dummy’s last trump. The end play vanishes.