The Right View

The auction and opening lead were the same at both tables. Each West guessed well to lead the ♠A, which was clearly revealed as a singleton when West played the ♣K at trick two. Both declarers took the club shift in hand with the ace and pondered how to make a 10^th trick with a diamond ruff.

At the first table, declarer led the ♦Q from hand. West played low and East won with the ♦A and exited with a trump. Declarer took this on table and led a diamond. East produced the ♦10, which was allowed to hold, and killed the contract by playing his remaining trump. Declarer had to lose three diamonds and a trump.

At the other table, the declarer saw that if he led a diamond from hand at trick three there was a real danger that East would be able to win both the first and second rounds of diamonds and return a trump each time. So, declarer led a low heart to dummy’s ace to lead a diamond. East rose with the ace and returned a trump, which was taken in dummy with the 10. Declarer continued by leading a low diamond to the ten, queen and king. West tried to cash the ♣Q, but this was ruffed by declarer, who ruffed a diamond in dummy with the ♠K for his 10^th trick. Declarer made 10 tricks: five trumps, three hearts, a diamond ruff and the ♣A. The full deal: