Orderly

Dlr:
West
Vul:
None
North
♠ 6
A J 9 8 4 2
K 4 3 2
♣ J 7
South
♠ A K 2
Q
A 9 8 6 5
♣ A 10 5 4
West North East South
1♠ 2 Pass 3NT
All Pass

West leads the ♠Q. You have nine easy tricks when diamonds are 2-2, but what if they aren’t?

What are your plans for dealing with 3-1 and 4-0 diamond breaks?

Solution

After taking the first trick with the ♠A, cash the A. If all follow, your next move should be the Q, intending to run it if West plays low. Should East produce the K, you will need diamonds 2-2 or the ♥10 to fall in three rounds of the suit.

On the other hand, when the Q holds, you can make certain of your contract! Simply play a diamond to the king and cash the A, discarding a club from hand. When diamonds turn out to be 3-1, concede a diamond. You will make two spades, two hearts, four diamonds and a club for your contract. If diamonds are 2-2 the result is an overtrick.

If you carelessly play the top two diamonds before hearts, you may never get a second heart trick when diamonds are 3-1.

The full deal:

Dlr:
Vul:
North
♠ 6
A J 9 8 4 2
K 4 3 2
♣ J 7
West
♠ Q J 10 8 5
K 6 5 3
♣ K Q 9 6
East
♠ 9 7 4 3
10 7
Q J 10 7
♣ 8 3 2
South
♠ A K 2
Q
A 9 8 6 5
♣ A 10 5 4

If, as in the diagram, diamonds prove to be 4-0, you must fall back on the heart suit to produce five tricks. Again, lead the Q at trick three. West will play low, and if you do likewise the contract will fail. You must counter by overtaking the ♥Q with the ace and continuing with the J. It is the only way to make five tricks in the suit. You pin East’s doubleton 10 and make 10 tricks. Any other plan will result in at least one down.

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