4-5-2026

Watching the discards.

This weeks hand sees a relativley straight forward auction with everyone playing in NT. A few pairs took an optomistic view and bid the salm. The question today is, can you make all the tricks?

On most tables S was the declarer and recieved a heart lead. Before playing a card f rom dummy declarer should count the top tricks.

There are 9 guaranteed winners (11 if the clubs break or someone with a doubleton has the jack.),

a twelth trick will come from diamonds and if you get the finesse right and the diamonds are 3-3 then 13 tricks can be made. (2 spades, 2 hearts, 5 clubs and 4 diamonds).

You have a 2 way finesse in diamonds so how do you get it right? Were there any clues in the bidding. In this auction E-W should have remained silent so no help there.

If you play out the clubs you find that they were 3-2 and now you can play the established clubs in dummy and watch the discards.

If you see any diamonds appearing then you can ask the defenders what discards they are playing.

Hopefully the hand without the QD will jettison some small diamonds and you can play the other hand for the QD. If you get this right then you will make all 13 tricks.

This was done 5 times and scores very well even if you didn't bid the slam.

Tip of the week.

Watch the opponents discards to help get a picture of the hand and don’t be afraid to ask them what discard system they are using.

The analysis is my own opinion and you may well disagree. Always make sure you know your own system before you play.

Mark Rixon