Source: Dallas NABC Bulletins
Dlr: South Vul: Both
 4 3 2 2 6 4 3 2 6 5 4 3 2 |
|
| 6 5 K Q 10 7 10 8 7 5 K 8 7 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 7 |
|||
| All Pass |
Opening lead: K
Declarer wins the A and proceeds to rattle off seven top spades. Partner follows to one spade, discards the Q on the second, and then discards hearts. You have to reduce to five cards. What should they be?
Clutch those four diamonds for dear life! And it doesn’t matter what your other card is. Declarer can’t have any more hearts. If she did, she would have ruffed them before drawing trumps. Your hearts are worthless.
Partner’s discard of the Q (an honor discard) tells you of a strong sequence in clubs and also tells you that it is safe for you to discard clubs, even the king, if necessary.
It’s unthinkable to lose points holding that South hand, but one defensive inference (not ruffing any hearts in dummy) and one discard (the Q) tells you all you need to know.
The full deal:
| 4 3 2 2 6 4 3 2 6 5 4 3 2 |
||
| 6 5 K Q 10 7 10 8 7 5 K 8 7 |
7 J 9 8 5 4 3 J Q J 10 9 |
|
| A K Q J 10 9 8 A A K Q 9 A |