solution4

Problem 4 Solution

	Txx
	Tx
	QJ9xx
	QJx


	Kx
	AKQx
	Axx
	Axxx

You play 3NT from the South hand on a small heart lead. The Ten holds the trick in dummy and when you play the Queen of Diamonds it is covered by the King, you win with the Ace. What now?

The game, as Terence Reese would say, is to keep East off lead to protect the Spade King. So a Diamond to the Jack (giving the chance of dropping the Ten) and then the Club Queen which gets covered. Now cash the top Hearts to extract exit cards, East throwing a club on the fourth heart. Cash the top club and now you have to decide to exit with a club or a diamond. There is an inference that West has the Diamond Ten, as East may not have covered the Diamond Queen with an original holding of KTx. Exiting with a Diamond works as West originally held Txx and the Spade Ace and a doubleton club.

This hand is from the Scarborough Swiss Teams, February 2001. Consolation points to those who finessed the Diamond 9 at trick three, this makes overtricks, but is not the best line.