WEST
leads the three of spades against 3NT and you win East’s king with the ace. How will you play the contract? You have seven top tricks and need to develop two more from the club suit. What will happen if clubs break 4-1? That is no problem. You can simply give up a club and score five clubs and four outside winners. The only possible danger to the contract is that clubs break 5-0. To counter this possibility, you should lead the nine of clubs from your hand at Trick 2. If West follows with a lowcard, you play the five of clubs from dummy. When the cards lie as in the diagram (as they did during a European Bridge championship), your nine of clubs will win. You can then cross to the club king, return your hand with the queen of spades and concede a club trick to West. The ace of diamonds remains as an entry to your hand. The defenders, meanwhile, will score just one club and three spades. Suppose instead that West shows out on the first round of clubs. You will then rise with dummy’s king of clubs and lead a low club towards your hand. Whether or not East chooses to split his honours, you will score five club tricks and make the contract. Sweden’s P.O. Sundelin played in the manner described to land his contract.
What will you say on the West cards?
Answer You would have to respond IS on this shape when you held a zero-count. It is clearly not right to make the same response when you have fair values and can see a possible game. With around 8-10 points you should make a single jump in a major suit (here spades). With a minor suit, where you will have to respond at the three-level, you need more like 9-11 points for such a jump.
WEST
leads the three of spades against 3NT and you win East’s king with the ace. How will you play the contract? You have seven top tricks and need to develop two more from the club suit. What will happen if clubs break 4-1? That is no problem. You can simply give up a club and score five clubs and four outside winners. The only possible danger to the contract is that clubs break 5-0. To counter this possibility, you should lead the nine of clubs from your hand at Trick 2. If West follows with a lowcard, you play the five of clubs from dummy. When the cards lie as in the diagram (as they did during a European Bridge championship), your nine of clubs will win. You can then cross to the club king, return your hand with the queen of spades and concede a club trick to West. The ace of diamonds remains as an entry to your hand. The defenders, meanwhile, will score just one club and three spades. Suppose instead that West shows out on the first round of clubs. You will then rise with dummy’s king of clubs and lead a low club towards your hand. Whether or not East chooses to split his honours, you will score five club tricks and make the contract. Sweden’s P.O. Sundelin played in the manner described to land his contract.
Answer