The Plan XXVIII by Tim Bourke

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Tim Bourke
Tim Bourke

IBPA Column Service example 830

Dealer West. NS Vul.

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

The Auction:

  West North East     South
 1  Double Pass     1
 2  4 Pass     Pass
 Pass

This deal came up in a teams match and the auction was the same at both tables. Each West began by leading the king of diamonds, asking for count, and continuing with the queen of diamonds.

The first declarer ruffed the second diamond with dummy’s 4 and cashed the ace and king of trumps. When West discarded a diamond, declarer knew he was in trouble, and had to rely on West having both the king and queen of spades.

Declarer cashed the three top clubs then led the J from dummy. West took this with the king and forced dummy by exiting with the jack of diamonds.

Declarer ruffed then played dummy’s remaining trump to East’s queen. East now led the nine of clubs which declarer ruffed. When a spade to the jack lost to East’s queen, declarer was down one.

The second declarer saw that he would need entries to hand if he wanted to take two finesses in spades, so he ruffed the second diamond with dummy’s K and led a low trump from the table.

After his 7 held the trick (it is no better for the defence for East to win with the queen of hearts), declarer led a low spade to the six, ten and East’s queen.

East exited with a diamond, which was ruffed low in dummy. Declarer cashed the ace of hearts, followed by the three top clubs. East was put on lead with a trump to his queen and he could do no better than exit with the thirteenth club.

Declarer ruffed this in hand and threw the 4 from dummy. As expected, a spade to the jack won and this declarer made ten tricks.