Winning Strategy

After winning the first trick, declarer ruffed a diamond in hand – mainly as a matter of technique, but also because it couldn’t hurt his chances of making the contract. Declarer continued by cashing the ♥A. Next, declarer crossed to dummy with the ♣K and ruffed dummy’s remaining diamond low in hand. He then crossed to dummy with a spade to the king and led the ♥J. When East followed with the ♥9, declarer played low from hand. When that held, he played a trump to the king to draw East’s last trump. With 12 tricks now cold, declarer had the luxury of trying for 13 in spades and clubs.

Declarer would still have made his contract if West had started with a doubleton trump queen. In that event, West would have been endplayed and forced to lead a black suit or concede a ruff-and-discard by leading a diamond. No matter which option he chose, declarer would have made 12 tricks. Finally, if East had shown out on the second trump, declarer planned to win with the king and concede a trump to West’s queen. The contract still would have been made if West had started with precisely three diamonds. Otherwise, declarer would have needed something favorable to happen in the black suits. The full deal: