Reading Eagle – 29 Sep 1934
One of the first things the Declarer should try to decide is which adversary holds the ”danger hand” and how this adversary may be prevented from gaining the lead after establishing the setting tricks. One of the methods commonly used is to hold up a controlling card in this adversary’s long suit until his partner has no card of that suit with which to put him in the lead. Another is to put the danger hand in the lead and thus deprive him of an entry card, at a time when the lead can do him no good. Both methods are illustrated in the following hand:
South, Dealer. East and West vulnerable.
West opened the spade six and South won the Jack with the Queen. South could see that the bulk of his winners must come from setting up the diamond suit, but as this might require losing the lead in diamonds, he had to prepare to shut out the advers spade suit. He could, of course, withhold the spade Ace until the third round of the suit but this course would be futile if West had a side reentry. If the diamond suit would produce five tricks no clubs would be necessary except the Ace. But if the diamond suit would produce only four tricks, an additional club trick would be necessary.
South did not fear a heart entry in West’s hand, since he himself had command of the suit but the possible club entry was to be feared, because it stood in the way of a second club trick. His course was thus indicated.
He led a diamond to the Ace in dummy and than led the Queen of clubs for a finesse. If the finesse won he was sure of his two club tricks without loss of the lead, and he could then turn his attention to the establishment of the diamond suit.
If the finesse lost then at least the dangerous club King had been knocked out of the West hand before South’s spade Ace could be forced out. After winning the club King, West continued spades; but South, after holding once, field up his Ace, and when later the diamond finesse lost to East, and East returned a heart (having no spade left) South put up the Ace of hearts and ran his tricks. The clubs breaking, South made four no-trump.
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