In Massimiliano di Franco’s Seat by Fernando Lema

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Many times, when dummy lies down;  the declarer realizes he is playing a higher contract than he would like;  the issue is to have enough technique skills to handle such situations, let’s see:

  K Q 7 5
10 9 7 3
8
A K Q 6
 
10
A 6 5
K 7 6 5 4
J 7 5 2
  6 4
Q J 8 4
J 10 9 3 2
8 2
  A J 9 8 3 2
K 2
A Q
10 9 4
 

Dealer: North; East/West Vulnerable

Oeste Norte Este Sur
Pass 11 Pass 12
Pass 23 Pass 3
Pass 44 Pass 4
Double 4 5 6NT
Fin      

1 1 = 15+ or 15 a 17 balanced

2 1 = 4 or more spades

3 2 = 15 – 17 with four spades

4 4 = cue bid and an even number of keycards

Contract: 6NT

Lead: 10

Juniors Italia 2013
Juniors Italia 2013

The declarer count winners: 6 spade tricks, 4 probable club tricks and the A, adds 11 tricks, but East’s intervention perhaps means he has the K and that can give declarer his 12th trick.

Di Franco won the lead and run all his spades, West pitched 4 diamonds and one heart. East 3 diamonds and one heart.

Now he was correct when he thought that the spade lead showed the West didnt have a sure lead and as neither defender pitched a club, declarer played the 10 and let it run, winning the trick.

Afterwards South played his three high clubs, this was the three cards end position:

 
10 9
8
 

A 6
K
 
Q
J 10
 
K
A Q
 
Juniors Italia 2011
Juniors Italia 2011

At this moment Massimiliano thought: «East couldnt show a 4 cards suit during the bidding, so he played a diamond to the A and received his reward, watching West’s K and making 12 tricks.

Was Massimiliano who told me this hand: » I cashed 2 spades and seeing he lead from a stiff 10 (very dangerous) I thought he must have leading problems in the other suits.

I cashed spades (West discarding 4 diamonds and 1 heart) and I run the 10 wich made the trick…

Now I am in a three cards end position with 3 cards AQ of diamonds and K stiff and decided to cash the ace of diamond thinking East would not bid 5 diamonds with only 4 cards and I was right… 😆