...and half a dozen of the other

by Jonathan Mestel

Those spots continue to pull their weight. Earlier (hand reading), we saw the possession of 7 is critical, but two hands from the Tollemache starred 6.

How do you play 1053 opposite K972 in no trumps? Suppose you lead the 10 from hand, covered by the Q, K and ace. What do you do when next in hand?

Well, in context I hope you got this right. In practice, it's often a good idea to lead the higher of two irrelevant spots towards dummy; it can confuse opponents. Unfortunately, the suit round the table was

K972 Q6       N W        E       S AJ84 1053

If, unthinkingly, you lead 5 to the 6, 9 and J, East is left with a tenace over dummy, but leading the 3 is worth an extra trick.

Now have a go at 4 by West on the following hand. South has overcalled in hearts and North leads 3.

Q98742 A A1065 KJ       N W        E       S AK Q54 98 Q109654

You win in hand and lead K which holds after a slight pause on your left. You continue with J and North ducks again, while South ruffs with 5 and returns J. Over to you.

If South has no more trumps we can lead a third club throwing a diamond, establishing a club for another diamond discard, subsequently drawing trumps. But if South has 10 he will ruff in, and what then?

I felt the diamond suit offered best hope, and ran 9 at trick 5. North won with the J and exited with a trump, to which all followed. When I led 8 off table South was caught, the full hand being

Both Vul 63 632 QJ32 A873 Dealer N Q98742 A A1065 KJ       N W        E       S AK Q54 98 Q109654 J105 KJ10987 K74 2

In fact, he played the 7 under the 8, after which I couldn't go wrong. Better would be to play the K, when I have a guess on the next round. But given my obsession with sixes, and especially his tempo on the diamond plays, I hope I would have pinned 7, setting up 6 for the 10th trick.

Well, I was pleased about this, but a month or so ago my coeditor pointed out that I'd misplayed the hand. The best line is to lead a club from dummy, overruffing the 10 with Q, and then lead a diamond from hand. If North goes in with the J, the situation is the same as if I'd led a diamond from dummy, while if RHO wins with K he has no 4th trump to lead, and I get to ruff a diamond in dummy, eventually drawing 6 with 9 (these sixes don't always score.) This line works whenever mine does, and also when South has only two trumps.