Neither vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
S-10 5
H-Q 10 9 5
D-K Q 10 9 6
C-Q 9
WEST EAST
S-8 7 6 3 2 S-K Q 4
More Top Picks Best Photo Album
H-8 H-K 4 3
D-7 3 2 D-8 5
C-8 6 4 2 C-A J 10 7 5
SOUTH
S-A J 9
H-A J 7 6 2
D-A J 4
C-K 3
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1C Dbl Pass 2D
Pass 2H Pass 3H
Pass 4H Pass Pass
Pass
Opening lead: Four of C
On this hand from a qualifying round of the Blue Ribbon Pairs, North-South scored a top by winning all the tricks. At which trick do you think East-West had their last chance to win a trick?
This one is too easy — it had to be the first! West’s opening club lead was either third- or fifth-best. East decided it was from a three-card suit and elected to insert the ten in an effort to defeat the contract should West have an entry. He never had another opportunity.
Declarer won the king, crossed to dummy with the king of diamonds and took a winning heart finesse. Next came seven more red-suit tricks, ending in dummy, bringing about this end-position:
S-10
H- —
D-6
C-Q
S-8 7 6 S-K Q
H- — H—
D- — D- —
C- — C-A
S-A J
H- —
More Top Picks Best Stability Shoes For Heavy Walkers
D- —
C-3
Now the six of diamonds ruined East. The defender had to keep the ace of clubs to guard against the table’s queen, and so had to discard the queen of spades, and declarer’s ace-jack of spades took the last two tricks. Making all the tricks was a clear top for North-South.
(Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Media Services Inc., 2010 Westridge Drive, Irving, TX 75038. E-mail responses may be sent to
.)