Today's hand is really a declarer play problem so I don't want to take up too much space discussing the bidding. North's two no trump response to the opening bid showed at least four hearts and an opening hand. South's jump to four clubs showed a good five card club suit. Cue bidding and partnership faith resulted in South playing seven hearts.
How should declarer play after West leads the ten of clubs? Unless East can trump this trick, declarer can count twelve winners. If the outstanding trumps divide 2-2 or 3-1, declarer can draw trump, discard one of dummy's diamonds on a club winner and then trump a diamond for his thirteenth trick.
As declarer, your thought process should now be heading toward what to do if trumps are 4-0. The best possibility is a dummy reversal. This is the term used to describe the play when you trump losers in the hand with the longer trumps instead of in the hand with the shorter trumps. In this case, if you can trump two spades in hand you should be able to score four hearts from the dummy, two spades trumped in the closed hand, and seven tricks in the minors after trumps are drawn, for a total of thirteen.
However, South must be careful. There is a trap on this hand. If declarer wins the opening lead in hand and plays the queen of hearts, discovering the bad trump split, he will have trouble reaching the dummy to trump two spades and to draw the outstanding trump from East's hand. At some point along the way, East will be able to trump a club lead, defeating the contract.
The only way to make the hand is to win the opening lead in the dummy and immediately trump a spade. Cash the queen of hearts and then play a heart to dummy's ace. Trump a second spade and play the last heart in the South hand to the dummy and draw East's two remaining hearts, discarding the three of diamonds on the fourth round of hearts. A club or diamond back to the South hand allows declarer to claim the rest of the tricks.
Here's hoping that the New Year brings good health and many
enjoyable hours at the bridge table for everyone.
----
Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com