Countermeasure

Dlr:
North
Vul:
E-W
North
♠ Q 8
J 5 3
J 10 7
♣ A J 9 8 2
South
♠ A K
A K 7 6
A 6 3 2
♣ Q 10 4
West North East South
Pass Pass 2NT(1)
Pass 3NT All Pass

Against your 3NT contract, West starts with the ♠J. You win in hand with the ♠A and play the ♣10, which holds. When you continue with the ♣Q, that also holds as West discards an encouraging diamond. Now what?

Click for Solution

After the ♣Q held, declarer led the ♣4 to dummy’s ace and played another club, throwing the ♠K from his hand. East won with his ♣K and, in response to West’s signal, shifted to the 9. Declarer played low from hand. West won the trick with the queen and exited with the 8. Declarer played low from dummy and won the trick with his king. He continued with a low diamond toward dummy. West took this with the K and played his remaining heart to the jack, queen and ace. Declarer led the 6 to dummy’s jack, which was now good. That was his seventh trick; the ♠Q and ♣9 were his eighth and ninth. The full deal:

Dlr:
North
Vul:
E-W
North
♠ Q 8
J 5 3
J 10 7
♣ A J 9 8 2
West
♠ J 10 9 7 4 2
8 2
K Q 8 5
♣ 5
East
♠ 6 5 3
Q 10 94
9 4
♣ K 7 6 3
South
♠ A K
A K 7 6
A 6 3 2
♣ Q 10 4

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