Board 08

Board 08

Q 8 7 2
J 8
J 9 7 4
Q 10 5
K 9 4
K 6 3 2
A 6 5
A 7 4
N
W   E
 
S
A 10 6
A 7 4
K 8 3 2
K 6 2
J 5 3
Q 10 9 5
Q 10
J 9 8 3

Dealer:

West

Vuln:

None

W N E S
1NT Pass 3NT End

Contract:

3NT by West

Lead:

2

We have 28 HCPs and eight top tricks. But the hands are very flat, with no fit, and lots of low cards.

The opening lead of 2 shows an honour in the suit. We can take advantage of the only decent intermediate cards we have: 10 and 9. We should play low in dummy. If North holds both missing honours, then 9 will win. As the cards lie, South plays the jack, and we cover with the king. But now we have a marked finesse position against North: we have A10 in dummy, and we know that North holds Q. So, we will be able to lead a low spade to the ten to make our ninth trick.