Big Slam Magazine - Flipbook - Page 68
Did you allow 4] to make here? If East leads a
MUD [7 here, West might pick it as a doubleton
and play another heart. Curtains.
Most tables played 4] from South. A diamond
lead solves that suit, leaving declarer to tackle
trumps. ]A-another is best at 83%.
MUD is often as clear as mud. If East leads the
[4 as many top players would, West has a
chance to find the winning trump switch. That
}Qx in dummy is threatening.
Again, the shorter suits make better leads. After a
club to the ace, East can see a pitch coming. A
heart switch could be right but [J-x-x is unappealing, So a diamond it is.
Of the 19 declarers in 4], only four received the
[4 lead. Half of those who shot 4] did so after
the [4 lead.
Or West might lead a heart. That's even better.
Declarer will probably go after trumps, giving
West the chance to pitch the }2.
A hand from Saturday
WEST
NORTH
EAST
SOUTH
no
no
1]
end
Half the field languished in 1]. As for the rest,
maybe South committed a 2} overcall, or
East-West had the good sense to be playing a
strong club system. Or West was following this
aphorism – "Always respond if you have an ace"
Yes, 6[ makes but you have to play it well.
You ruff the spade, play the [A, then start running diamonds. East should not ruff, rather pitch
three clubs.
Having pitched a spade, declarer plays a club to
the king, ruffed. On the next spade, pitch
dummy's {A to make the last four tricks via a
cross ruff. Not so easy after all!