| Hand 1: Think What Might Go Wrong |
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When East opens 1♠ West with 12 HCP, a LTC=6, and a Heart shortage should always reach 4♠ . Some Pairs might have bid it 1♠ - 4♥ (Splinter) - 4♠ . The Splinter shows Game values, a Trump fit, and a void or singleton in the bid Suit. After a Splinter of 4♥ East would settle for 4♠ as West shortage is in a Suit East is short in themselves.
The worst lead for East is a Diamond, can you see why?
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| Show Answer |
East can win the Diamond lead but must then lose the lead in order to draw Trumps. South will come in with the ♠ A and lead a second Diamond.
East has now lost a Spade, still has the ♥ A to lose, and also now has a Diamond loser and a Club loser if the finesse is wrong.
East should draw Trumps, then try the Clubs. If the finesse is right (it is) then East makes their contract.
But if Clubs break 3-3 (they do) then East will be able to discard their losing Diamond on the fourth Club to give them a vital overtrick provided they play a low Club to the ♣ J, cash the ♣ A then play low to the ♣ K
You look silly if South has the singleton ♣ Q but the 3-3 split will happen 33% of the time and the singleton ♣ Q that will only happen about 1% of the time (South will have a singleton 7% of the time, and it will be the ♣ Q 1/6 of that)
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