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...When West dropped K♥, this seemed good, but it meant East held five hearts and another low one must be trumped. Next, J♦ was led and, when East followed low, South played K♦, holding the trick....
...South cashed A♦ and K♠ and went over to dummy with A♠ to play K♦, throwing a spade from hand. When this held, this is trick 11. For his 12th trick, he led dummy’s fourth diamond....
...up K♣....
...West led K♠. Declarer assessed two spade losers, a diamond and two clubs....
...Finally, he draws the last trump and crosses to his carefully preserved K♥ to cash A♣, which fells East’s Q♣....
...Paul Mendelson’s new book, ‘The Joy of Bridge’, is out now...
...East won with K♣, and led a third diamond to West’s king. The case for the defence began immediately: “Both finesses wrong — as usual — couldn’t be made.”...
...West led K♥ and declarer’s plan was simple: cash A♦, ruff two low diamonds in dummy, draw trumps, and score up the slam. On the bidding, the distribution suited this plan....
...East took A♠, returned 2♠, and South won deceptively with K♠ in hand....
...When West passes, North’s forced 2D response promises nothing, but South must hope that North holds something to make game a good shot: a couple of low spades, plus K♥ or J♣ make it pretty much lay-down....
...To succeed wherever Q♠ and K♦ lie, West must be stripped of a safe way of getting off lead once he wins the first finesse....
...However, if trumps split 2-2, or West holds K♣, all will be well....
...You draw trumps: East holds both A♥ and K♥. He returns a club each time he wins....
...On 6♥ lead from West however, dummy’s queen is worthless and East soon took five heart tricks as well as A♦ and, sometimes, K♣ also....
...Declarer won K♣ in dummy, played to A♣, and ruffed a low club in dummy. Danger seemingly averted, most now played a trump, West winning....
...Lead J♣ from hand, West covers — if he does not, declarer runs the jack — and declarer wins with dummy’s K♣....
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