WEST leads a fourth-best two of spades against 3NT, How should you play the contract? You have seven tricks on top, so two tricks from the diamond suit will bring your total to nine. What is the safety play to land two tricks from that diamond suit? You should win the spade lead and lead a low diamond to dummy’s king. If East takes the diamond ace and returns a spade, you might as well hold up until the third round of spades. You then cross to dummy with a club and lead a diamond towards your hand. You plan to finesse the 7 if East follows low, or to rise with the queen (and lead towards the 10) if East shows out. Either way, you will make the two diamond tricks that you need. What if the king of diamonds wins on the first round? Again you will lead a second round of diamonds towards your hand, intending to cover any low card or rise with the queen if East shows out. Playing in this fashion you will make at least two diamond tricks unless East started with A-J-9-8(-6) in the suit. This safety play is similar to the one where you need three tricks from A-J-x-x opposite K-9-x-x. Again you start by cashing the honour that is accompanied by the best middle card. You play the ace and then lead towards the other hand, planning to finesse the 9 unless the defender playing second to the trick shows out. What will you say now?
Answer There is a good chance of a spade slam but it would be premature to bid Blackwood or leap directly to the six level. The best continuation is 4C. In the long run it is better to play that this is a cue bid, agreeing partner’s suit and showing a club control, rather than showing a second suit of your own.
WEST leads a fourth-best two of spades against 3NT, How should you play the contract? You have seven tricks on top, so two tricks from the diamond suit will bring your total to nine. What is the safety play to land two tricks from that diamond suit? You should win the spade lead and lead a low diamond to dummy’s king. If East takes the diamond ace and returns a spade, you might as well hold up until the third round of spades. You then cross to dummy with a club and lead a diamond towards your hand. You plan to finesse the 7 if East follows low, or to rise with the queen (and lead towards the 10) if East shows out. Either way, you will make the two diamond tricks that you need. What if the king of diamonds wins on the first round? Again you will lead a second round of diamonds towards your hand, intending to cover any low card or rise with the queen if East shows out. Playing in this fashion you will make at least two diamond tricks unless East started with A-J-9-8(-6) in the suit. This safety play is similar to the one where you need three tricks from A-J-x-x opposite K-9-x-x. Again you start by cashing the honour that is accompanied by the best middle card. You play the ace and then lead towards the other hand, planning to finesse the 9 unless the defender playing second to the trick shows out.
Answer