SOUTH’s 3S set the trump suit and North’s 4C was a cue-bid, showing the ace or king of clubs. South now used Blackwood to discover two aces and one king in his partner’s hand. How would you play 7S when West leads the six of trumps? Declarer drew trumps, throwing a club from dummy. He continued with dummy’s two top diamonds, throwing a heart from his hand. When he ruffed a diamond, East showed up with a guard in the suit. What now? All would be well if clubs broke 3-3. Otherwise, declarer planned a simple squeeze that would work if either defender held four clubs along with either the king of hearts or the diamond guard. He cashed the ace of hearts, to free dummy’s heart queen as a threat card, and then ran his remaining trumps, throwing two diamonds from dummy. West had no good discard on the last trump. He had to throw either the heart king or one of his clubs. One final point: suppose West had incorrectly led the top of his 9-6 trump doubleton. With the trump eight as an extra entry, declarer would then have had the entries to set up a long diamond in dummy!
What will you say on the West cards?
Answer It is a waste of time to bid your spade suit. You have already found a good heart fit and should tell partner the good news immediately. The hand represents a clear-cut limit raise to 3H. You hold 11 points, which is within the normal range. You also have eight losers, another standard for a double raise.
SOUTH’s 3S set the trump suit and North’s 4C was a cue-bid, showing the ace or king of clubs. South now used Blackwood to discover two aces and one king in his partner’s hand. How would you play 7S when West leads the six of trumps? Declarer drew trumps, throwing a club from dummy. He continued with dummy’s two top diamonds, throwing a heart from his hand. When he ruffed a diamond, East showed up with a guard in the suit. What now? All would be well if clubs broke 3-3. Otherwise, declarer planned a simple squeeze that would work if either defender held four clubs along with either the king of hearts or the diamond guard. He cashed the ace of hearts, to free dummy’s heart queen as a threat card, and then ran his remaining trumps, throwing two diamonds from dummy. West had no good discard on the last trump. He had to throw either the heart king or one of his clubs. One final point: suppose West had incorrectly led the top of his 9-6 trump doubleton. With the trump eight as an extra entry, declarer would then have had the entries to set up a long diamond in dummy!
Answer