A 5-Card Fit
From Bert Beentjes
J 9 7
A 10 8
10 6 3
K J 9 6
A 10 6 5 4
K 5
K J 7
7 5 2
K 3 2
Q J 6 4 3
4 3
Q 8 3
Q 8
9 7 2
A Q 9 8 5
A 10 4
In this example, theoretical par is
1 ♠, making, by
South.
If East/West play
1 ♠, the defense starts with the
♥ A,
followed by a club to the ten, finessing East's queen, then the
♦ A,
♣ A,
♣ K and a fourth club
at this position:
North/South have taken three clubs and two red aces. They have a natural
trump trick, and this fourth club promotes a second trump trick.
If South plays
1 ♠, then, the defense must play two rounds
of trumps before letting declarer in, or else declarer can again set up
a seventh trick. [If they play only one round, South still has the trump
queen, and therefore can still execute the trump promotion above.]
Say they start with the
♠ A-K, then East plays a diamond.
South finesses the queen, and West wins the
♦ K leading
to this position:
West gives the declarer an extra diamond trick if he continues the suit.
If West exits a black suit, declarer takes his remaining trump and three
clubs, then plays a low heart from hand at this position.
Declarer ducks if West plays the
♥ K, and West can
safely exit his low heart or a trump.
Dummy wins the
♥ A
and leads the last club, and we get to our favorite position:
West can either ruff this and be forced to lead a diamond, or let
it win and give declarer his seventh trick.
So, when in with the
♦ K, West has to lead a heart. If he
leads a low heart, declarer wins the ace and immediately exits a heart,
which West must win with the king.
Basically, the trick to this hand is that West can be stripped without
allowing East in a second time to lead diamonds again.