Dead Lucky

27th June – Board 13: Game All. Dealer North.

Sometimes you need what might appear to be a bad lie of the cards to see you home in the second best contract.

	North: S K 4 H A K 8 6 5 D 7 6 5 C K 10 4
West: S A J 10 9 7 2 H Q 7 D 9 2 C J 6 2		East: S 6 H J 10 4 D K Q J 10 8 4 C 9 5 3
	South: S Q 8 5 3 H 9 3 2 D A 3 C A Q 8 7

West	North	East	South
	1H	No	1S
No	2H	No	4H
End

4H is a trivial contract and will easily be made for the loss of one spade, one heart and one diamond, but just imagine you are declaring 3NT from the North hand instead. East will lead the DK which you duck but have to win the continuation perforce. With only seven easy winners you have to establish the hearts and you can only do that by losing one. Clearly you have to ensure that you lose that trick to West and hope that not only does he have no more diamonds but that he also had the ace of spades so that he cannot reach his partner in that way. So at trick three lead a low heart to the ace and then re-enter dummy with a club in order to lead a second heart. When West plays the queen you duck and then when the desired layout actually occurs you are home. Not a good contract but making the most of your luck.