Proper Timing

Dlr:
South
Vul
N-S
North
♠ K Q 2
K 10 8 6
A 7 6 2
♣ A 7
South
♠ A 10 9 8 6 4
2
K 5
♣ K 6 3 2
West North East South
1♠
Dbl Redbl 2 2♠
Pass 6♠ All Pass

You are playing teams and find yourself in 6♠ West starts the defense by leading the ♣Q. How do you plan to bring this one home?

Solution

The contract and opening lead were the same at both tables. At the first table, declarer called for dummy’s ♣A. He cashed the ♠K and was disappointed to see West discard a club. After leading the ♠2 to East’s 5 and his 10, declarer led a heart. West rose with the A and exited with the ♣J, taken by declarer with the king. Now there was no way for declarer to make a 12th trick because he did not have the entries to ruff a club and execute a trump coup against East.

At the second table, declarer took trick one in hand to lead a heart. West rose with the ace and exited with a club to dummy’s now-bare ace. Next, declarer cashed the K and ruffed a heart. Only then did he lead a trump to dummy’s king, getting the bad news of the 4-0 trump break. Declarer continued by ruffing a second heart, then cashing the K and A and ruffing a diamond. At trick 11, declarer ruffed his remaining club with dummy’s ♠Q for his 10th trick. Declarer could then claim the last two tricks, as his ♠A 10 was over East’s ♠J 7. The full deal:

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

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