Play or Defend? 68 Hands to Test Your Bridge Skill

How good an analyst are you?

HAND 2 - ACHILLES HEEL

		North
		♠	A 9 8 5
		♥	Q J 5 3
		♦	Q J 10
		♣	K 4
West				East
♠	K 10 7 2			♠	Q 3
♥	8 7 2			♥	K 10 6 4
♦	A 8			♦	K 6 5 2
♣	9 6 5 2			♣	10 7 3
		South
		♠	J 6 4
		♥	A 9
		♦	9 7 4 3
		♣	A Q J 8

West	North	East	South
			1♣
Pass	1♥	Pass	1NT
Pass	2♦*	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

*Checkback asking for 3♥/4♠

Contract: 3NT
Opening Lead: ♠2

Going up with dummy's ace of spades will not work because the resulting blockage will be merely temporary. East can win the first diamond and cash the spade queen. The defenders will score three spades and two diamonds.

Playing low at Trick 1 seems more obvious, and the queen wins. If East returns a spade, the contract makes. North's nine will take care of the fourth round of spades and declarer can take the winning heart finesse after setting up the diamonds.

Is the contract always cold, or can the right switch at Trick 3 kill it? See page 86 for the second part of the answer.