AQT5 963 QJ5 Q65
4 QT75 843 KJ874		J9873 J8 976 AT2
	K62 AK42 AKT2 93

 

South	West	North	East
1NT	Pass	3NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

Opening Lead: 7

This Month’s hand is close to one that was played in a recent sectional. The first thing to note is the bidding. North rightly choose not to bid Stayman. When you are 4333, you should just bid to the right level of notrump and not worry about finding a major suit fit.

Declarer played low from dummy and East went up with the Ace and returned the Ten. Now declarer has ten tricks (3 spades, 2 hearts, 4 diamonds, and 1 club) no matter what West plays. Had East played the Ten to the first trick, the defense would have taken the first 5 tricks. How is East to know what is the right card to play?

Let’s start by applying the Rule of 11 (see below). The 7 was lead so 11-7 means there are 4 cards higher in the combine hands of dummy, declarer and our hand. Dummy has the Queen and we have the Ace and Ten. That leaves just one card higher than the 7 in declarer’s hand. It could be the King, the Jack, the nine or the eight. Let’s see what is the right play for each of these holdings.

Declarer holds the King: If you play the Ace, declarer will win two club tricks. If you play the Ten, declarer can win with the King but will be held to one club trick (your Ace will eventually capture the Queen in dummy). So in this case the Ten is the better play.

Declarer holds the Jack: If you play the Ace, Declarer will eventually win a club trick as the Queen and Jack are equal against partner’s King. If you play the ten, declarer will win with the Jack right away. In either case, declarer will win one club trick so there is no difference between playing the Ace or the Ten.

Declarer holds the Nine or the Eight: If you play the Ace, declarer will eventually win a trick with dummy’s Queen. If you play the Ten, declarer will not win any club tricks (in fact you will run the club suit).

So in the 4 cases, playing the Ten is better in 3 out of 4 cases. In one case, it doesn’t matter which card you play.

So you play the ten and to your surprise it wins, you lay down your Ace and follow with the Two to partner’s King and your side wins the first five tricks to set the contract.