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Everyone is in 3NT. Only very few succeed. Would you be among the victors?
Bidding
Dealer: South
N/S game
West leads K♣ immediately and, seemingly, declarer must rely on a balanced club split, perhaps a 3-3 spade break, or East holding K♥ — but none of these situations exist.
Assuming that West has led from a five-card suit is correct, and should result in declarer making the first correct play: ducking the lead and winning the continuation. Next, four rounds of diamonds are played: South discards 9♣; East throws 4♥; West 2♥.
Now, declarer must play K♠ and A♠. If West has previously thrown a spade, and shows out, all is revealed; but, if West follows to both rounds, declarer must decide what to do. Should he hope that spades are 3-3 and East has to win, or does he play West for K♥?
If West had held, say ♠1073, or even ♠J73, he might well have parted with a spade opposed to a heart; if he had held ♥Jxx, he might have opted to retain the low heart, yet with ♥Kxx, the discard is quite safe. For this reason, an endplay seems better. Put West on lead by playing dummy’s 8♣ and discard a spade from hand.
West gleefully cashes his three club winners but must then lead from ♥K10, allowing declarer to score two heart tricks and his contract.
Find more of Paul Mendelson’s columns at ft.com/puzzles-games
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