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Deal of the Week (Mar 07, 2008) Click here for Archives
Problem:

West   North   East   South
                                 1
pass     21      pass   2NT
pass     3       pass   3♠2
pass     4♣2     pass   4NT3
pass     54      pass   6
all pass

1 - 2/1 is forcing to game
2 - cue-bid
3 - RKC Blackwood
4 - 1 or 4 keycards

You are East on this defensive problem. The opponents reach 6 after an uncontested auction. Partner leads the ♠5, declarer captures your queen with the king. A heart is then led to dummy's nine. What should you return after winning this trick with the J to defeat the contract?
Solution:
The question we asked you was what should you return after winning this trick with the J to defeat the contract. This was a trick question of sorts, because the contract will be made once you win the trick with the J! Declarer, who is marked with a five card heart suit both from the bidding and his tackling of the suit, will be forced to play you for the K. The key play is to capture the 9 with the K at trick two. Declarer, who now "knows" that partner has the J, will subsequently play a heart to the ten, allowing you to make a trick.

 A4
 Q109
 KQJ5
 K876
 J765 Deal  Q10932
 83  KJ6
 1097  432
 10954  32
 K8
 A7542
 A86
 AQJ

It is worth noting that declarer's play in the heart suit was flawed - the double finesse (running the queen first, and running the ten if the queen lost to the king) is a better bet.

Analysis:
The hand hinges on the heart suit, and the double dummy analysis does not tell us anything that we don't know.
Par Contract Analysis:
The par contract on this deal is 6NT by North-South.

Bridge Baron deal No : N3828-86124-99537-93326-89474-08925

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Deal Of The Week
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