Hard Day’s Night

After a tough day at the table and doubtless a restless night’s sleep as the deals continue to occupy your thoughts what better way to get your brain back into gear for today’s contests that to tackle a couple of problems over breakfast. Try these two from the final of the BAM teams:

				East
				♠	6
				♥	10 8 5 4 3 2
				♦	A K 8 6
				♣	10 4

After two passes you decide to open 3♥ and the auction proceeds as follows:

What do you lead?

Let’s say you opt for a top diamond (in expert circles the ace asks for attitude).

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

The first trick is completed by the nine, two (discouraging) and three. Now what?

Here is the full deal:

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

If you do anything other than play a club declarer can get home. For example, suppose you switch to a heart. Declarer wins in hand and knocks out the king of diamonds. He wins the return in dummy, cashes a top spade, unblocks the diamonds, comes to hand with a heart and cashes the ten of diamonds.  With all the vital black cards West has no defence.