 KQx Ax KJxx KQxx |
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| AxxKQxxA9xxAx |
Contract is 6NT
Opening Lead x
What
is your play at trick 1? Trick 2?
Can
you guarantee 12 tricks and if so how?
Quite often a slam is easier to play than a game
or even a partscore since you probably don't have as many options. On
this hand you have 11 tricks off the top. 3 spades,
3 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 3 clubs. The only suit that you can develop
an extra trick in is diamonds but what is the safest way to ensure 3
diamond tricks?
Answer below.
2.
| K109xxxxAxxKQx |
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| xxxxAxxKxAxxx |
Contract is 4
Lead x
What is the best
play to guarantee the contract?
This is an excellent contract since all you have to do is to hold your trump losers to 2. What is the best way to do that? Think about your options.
Answers
1. Your contract is 100% as long as you take a safety play in
diamonds and that is to lead a diamond to the K
and the one back to the A9
intending on inserting the 9
if RHO follows.
If RHO shows out, put in the A
and a diamond back to the J
guarantees the third diamond trick for 12 tricks.
2. Options: You can lead a spade to the K
and if the A is onside
you will only lose 1 or 2 tricks with any 3-1 break. But if the K
loses to the A then you
could have 3 losers if the A
was singleton. How about leading a spade to the 10
followed by one to the 9.
This works anytime the Q
and J of are split or if
the Q and J
are both onside. You will never lose 3 spade tricks unless the A,Q,
and J are all offside.
If this is the case it was totally out of your control.