Given that everyone misses an occasional makeable game it is essential to compensate by making a few unmakeable ones. Prime amongst these are 3NT contracts and William Crook spotted a couple in this years Tollemache. Firstly there was this one managed by Sandy Fulton:
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Sandy suppressed his hearts to reach 3NT which received a spade lead ducked to the King. There are seven easy tricks and no time to develop two more if the defence try clubs. Undaunted Sandy played a heart to dummy and lead DQ -covered- followed by another to the J. East now unthinkingly cleared spades and that was nine tricks. East went wrong but the key thing is that declarer helped him err by playing smoothly and by not cashing any hearts; that would give East more time to think and more information about the hand. Note that 4H is hopeless; if you have a choice try a dodgy 3NT ahead of a dodgy 4H.
On the next offering it was William who took advantage of the opponents:
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