Question 1: How many losers do you have?
Answer: In addition to the obvious spade loser, if West has
the
A,
you could lose four club tricks!
Question 2: Should you draw trumps now?
Answer: Absolutely not!
Question 3: How can you make the hand if neither black suit
divides 3-3?
Answer: The opening bidder (East) almost certainly has the
A,
so your
K
is looking good. In addition, you need to ruff your last club
with dummy’s
Q.
Therefore, I would play as follows:
Trick
2: Lead a spade to dummy’s ace.
Trick
3: Lead a club to the king. As expected, it wins.
Trick
4: Cash the
K.
Trick
5: Concede a club trick. West will win.
Trick
6: West returns a trump. Win the
9.
Trick
7: Lose a club. West discards and East wins.
Trick
8: East returns a trump. Win the
10.
Trick
9: Ruff your last club with dummy’s
Q.
You
now have seven tricks, and still have three trump winners in
your hand. Making four.
