Source: Inspired Cardplay
Managing your entries is one of the most important aspects of cardplay.
See this example:
Dealer North. Love All.
 2 A K Q 9 7 8 6 4 3 A 6 2 |
||
| 10 9 8 5 4 8 2 Q 10 7 Q J 9 |
3 J 10 5 3 K 9 5 2 10 7 5 4 |
|
| A K Q J 7 6 6 4 A J K 8 3 |
The Auction:
| West | North | East | South |
| — | 1 |
Pass | 2 |
| Pass | 3 |
Pass | 4 |
| Pass | 5 |
Pass | 6 |
| All Pass |
A diamond lead would have worked well but West led the club Q. How would you play the slam when two rounds of trumps reveal the 5-1 break?
The orifinal declarer won the club lead in his hand. Worried that the apparently excellent grand slam would be bid at the other table, he played two rounds of trumps. The 5-1 trump break was good news in a way, since the grand would now fail.
Twelve tricks still had to be made, however. He cashed two of dummy’s top hearts, leaving these cards out:
| Q 9 7 8 A 6 |
||
| 10 Q 10 7 J 9 |
J 10 K 9 10 5 |
|
| 7 6 A J 8 3 |
«Queen of hearts please», said the declarer, throwing a club. West ruffed the heart queen and the slam could no longer be made.
Do You see where declarer went wrong?
It was as late as is the six card end position shown above. Instead of trying to cash the Q declarer should ruff a low heart in the South hand. There is nothing West can do. If he overruffs, dummy’s remaining hearts will provide discards for declarer’s two minor suit losers.
If West refuses to overruff, declarer will concede a trick to West’s master trump. Again twelve tricks will be there.