Spade Heart  Diamond Club
Little Clacton Bridge Club
EBU Summer Mtg 2016
Overtricks Matter at Pairs

Lead = ♠ 6.

South bids Diamonds first because they are strong enough to bid on and show the Spades on the second round. North rebids Hearts rather than show the Spades because they are too weak to reverse.

Playing teams you count six losers (4 Clubs a Diamond and a Spade - assuming a 3-2 split) and can draw trumps and dump three losing clubs on the top three Hearts to make game. You need to be able to get to dummy once trumps are drawn so you should duck the first round of trumps so you can win the next two rounds with the ♠ K then the ♠ A finishing in dummy.

At pairs overtricks matter. If the rest of the room is making 650 then even though 620 is just 30 points behind the field you will score 0% rather than 50%.

How would you plan the play at pairs to give you the best chance of an overtrick?

You can hope that Hearts break 4-4 but that is only going to happen about one time in every three. or you can take the Diamond finesse which is going to work about 50% of the time.

The best line is to win the first trick with the ♠ A then lead the ♣ 10 towards your ♣ K. If the ♣ K is allowed to win then you cross to dummy with a club ruff and throw your remaining three Clubs on the top Hearts, If the ♣ K loses then you can still try the Diamond finesse so nothing lost. If East plays the ♣ A you can later discard a diamond on the ♣ K then play ♦ A K J ruffing the third round and setting up the Diamond suit it it breaks 3-2 which is going to happen about 67% of the time.
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