A9xx
Q9xx
AJxxx
--
KJ8xx
KT
Q8
Q9xx
Green against red, you reach 4S from the South hand after partner's 1D opening was overcalled with 2C on your right. West leads a low club which you ruff. What now?
Against me (I was East), declarer led a sneaky low diamond to his queen. I ducked from Kxx fearing South was void so now declarer ruff another club and led a heart towards his king. I won and exited with a heart. South won, ruffed another club, played Ace of diamonds, ruffed a diamond and ruffed his last club with the Ace. In the three-card ending, he ruffed a red card with the eight end-playing my partner to lead into his KJ of trumps. 11 tricks made +450 and a complete top. One other declarer made +420; all the others were -50 or -100.
My hand was:
-- Axxx Kxx AJT8xx
Yes, I misdefended. If I win the K of diamonds and cash the Ace of hearts, partner will probably come to two spade tricks for down one. But the hand is always making 11 on a club lead if you ruff in dummy, play a heart to the King, play the ten of hearts to the Ace, win the heart return in dummy discarding a diamond (no other return is better), Ace of diamonds, ruff a diamond, ruff a club, ruff a diamond, ruff a club.
This leaves:
A
x
xx
--
KJx
--
--
x
Now cash the Ace of spades and when East discards, play a diamond throwing your last club. West is forced to ruff and lead a trump into your tenace.
I can only assume most declarers tried to draw trumps and ended up losing a diamond, a heart and two trumps.
They say that may of the tramps under the Charing Cross arches are there because they forgot to draw trumps. I bet many of them are there because they drew trumps too early.
