K3 Q52 KJ987 654 |
||
|
 |
QJ8
T983
Q64
732 |
|
A64 AJ T53 AKQJT |
South |
West |
North |
East |
1 |
Pass |
1 |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
Opening Lead: 5
Our Declarer on this month's hand won the first trick in dummy and took
the heart finesse. This lost and a spade came back. Now the Queen of
Hearts was good but he couldn't get back to it and went down one.
His partner, who could look at all four hands, told him he should win the first trick in hand and lead low to the King of diamonds. This works on today's hand but switch the diamond honors and this line goes down too.
There is a simple line for nine tricks. Declarer has eight tricks off the top and can guarantee a ninth trick by just playing the Ace and Jack of Hearts setting up the Queen. Declarer wins the first spade trick in hand, not in dummy. This way there is an entry to dummy to cash the Queen of Hearts after it is set up for the ninth trick.
TIP OF THE MONTH
Don’t risk the contract on a finesse when you have a sure way to make the contract.