Today's hand is from a duplicate game and has many interesting points to examine.
The opening bid by South and the overcall by West are both standard. North must determine what action to take at his first turn. He is too strong for two spades or three spades. A negative double could be right, but that bid could be made with many fewer points. Two no-trump is a possibility, it is a bid that shows the right strength and shape, but it would be a much better bid if the club suit was stopped twice, and it isn't.
A general, all-purpose, cue bid of three clubs is the best fit for this hand. It is forcing and tends to imply that North has support for partner's suit. South has no reason to bid anything except three spades. He doesn't have a second suit and the spade suit is a little ragged for no-trump.
North raises to game, ending the auction. West makes the expected club lead and South has a great deal to think about prior to playing to the first trick.
The first thing to be done is to determine where the first trick is to be won? It is best to assume that East has only one club. If South wins the ace in the closed hand, West could regain the lead and play a club through the king for East to trump. This is not good. It is best to win the first trick with the king in dummy. Now, if West is able to lead another club while East still has a trump, South can follow low from both hands and East will be trumping a trick that must be lost in any case.
The next question is how to play the trump suit? There are four spades outstanding. It would be good to have them divide two-two, but they will more than likely divide three-one. Which defender will have the singleton? Probably West, who is known to have a long club suit.
Given this, it is best to start spades from the South hand towards the queen. If West has the singleton ace, it will win without disturbing your king or queen, and if the singleton is any other card, it won't hurt.
In order to lead the first spade from the South hand, declarer has to lead a card from the North hand and win in the South hand. Which card should be used as the entry?
Declarer should lead a heart to the king in order to lead a spade toward the queen. By using hearts instead of diamonds, declarer retains control of both red suits so that the defenders are not able to cross back and forth trumping out clubs.
All of declarer's planning pays off. West does have the singleton ace of spades. He wins that card and leads a top club. A low card is played from dummy. East trumps while declarer plays a low club from his hand (a trick that would have to be lost anyway). East has no quick entry back to his partner for another club lead. He exits with a diamond but declarer is in control. He wins the ace and draws the last trump. A diamond trick is conceded and the contract is made.
There are many ways to go wrong on this hand, but the
easiest way is to play first and think later. Practice asking
yourself the important questions before playing to the first
trick. You will find your game improving by leaps and bounds.
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