Let’s dispose of the 3NT contract
first, because this one our readers will make in their sleep. West leads a
Club, Declarer holds up until the third round (in case the Clubs are 5-3), and
makes her contract when both enemy Aces are in the hand with the short Clubs.
Nine nervous tricks!
Declarer had to rely on a
considerable slice of luck to make that 3NT contract. But in order to make 4♠
(from the North side) you will have to rely on some skill. East leads a low
Club and your job is to make 10 tricks. Clue: the only problem occurs if trumps
are 4-1, so focus on that.
►
First, here’s a losing line, see
where Declarer goes wrong. East leads a low Club, and Dummy’s Ace wins the
trick. Then a Spade is conceded to East’s Ace and the Club continuation is
ruffed by Declarer. Next, trumps are played but Declarer comes unstuck when the
suit is 4-1. East will get in with the
♦A
and persist with Clubs, at which point Declarer will have lost trump control.
Down one! Here is the full deal:
►
|
♠ KQT54
♥
KQ63
♦
987
♣ 8 |
|
♠ 9876
♥
J8
♦
52
♣ QT765 |
Dummy
West East
Declarer |
♠ A
♥
T9752
♦
A643
♣ KJ2 |
|
♠ J32
♥
A4
♦
KQJT
♣ A943 |
|
Yes, North should have taken a
leaf out of the No Trump playbook. That hold-up play in Clubs, which is almost
routine when playing No Trump, can also work in a suit contract. North can win
the opening Club lead with Dummy’s Ace but, when East gets in with the ♠A and
continues Clubs, the correct play is to refrain from ruffing immediately. When
a third round of Clubs is played, North must ruff, but West never gets in again
to do damage with his Club winners. What’s good for No Trump is also sometimes
good for suit play!