A Challenging End Play

 

Today, we’ll look at just the last 5 tricks from a hand I played recently. By the end of the hand both the East player and the South player (declarer) knew what the other held based on the previous play. The contract is 4 diamonds, doubled. South needs to take 2 more tricks to make the contract. Conversely, East needs to take 4 of the last 5 tricks to set the contract. South is on lead. North and West will be discarding on every trick. Their play doesn’t matter.

West ♠ AK ♥ - ♦ KJT ♣ -
	South ♠ - ♥ - ♦ Q2 ♣ AKQ

Before reading on, think about how South should play for the best chance to take 2 more tricks. Then, think about how West should play for the best chance to take 4 more tricks. Whose chances do you like better?

…<Think now>…

 

 

If South leads a small trump, West will take it with the ten, pull the Q of trump with the K and take the rest of the tricks. Clearly, that isn’t a good play. Leading the Q of trump is no better. West will take the K, pull the last trump and take the rest. That leaves a club lead as the only reasonable choice for South.

Now, what should West do? If West discards a spade on the club, South will continue leading clubs until West is forced to ruff. That leaves West with the KJ of trumps and South with the Q2. They each get one more trick. West only gets 2 tricks, but needs 4. That’s no good. West must ruff the club. Now, what does West lead back?

It actually doesn’t matter. The key play was to ruff the first club. Now, West can lead a spade and if South refuses to ruff, West takes the spades and cashes the K of trump to set the contract. If South ruffs, she is left with just the singleton Q of trumps. West can ruff the club return, pull the last trump and cash his spades.

Leading a trump works, also. West can cash the K of trump and return a trump to the Q. Then, he ruffs the club return with his remaining trump and cashes his winning spade.