[A simple hand, but nice enough to write about]
Playing a matchpoint event, red vs white, you are South and end up declaring a contract of 4S (East was Dealer).
West leads the HK (either from HKQ, or singleton).
This is what you see:
[The bidding will probably not proceed that way in real life]
Without thinking too much, you win the HA and you play a trump to your Ace and both follow. You draw the last trump and now start thinking.
What is best play to maximize your tricks? (remember, this is matchpoints).
You have a loser in hearts and if West has the CK you have a club loser too, and won't make more than 11 tricks.
So suppose East has the CK.
Now you can try an endplay: eliminate diamonds and play the heart to West. West will have to lead a club. If West has the CT and leads low, then because of the shortage of entries to dummy, you have to play the 9 from dummy (forcing east to cover), and make 3 club tricks getting you to 12 tricks in total.
This plan fails if East has the KT, because you cannot get back to dummy to trap the K.
There is a better play for 12 tricks.
After drawing trumps, you play three rounds of diamonds ending in the dummy. Now play the CJ. East has to cover this. You win the CA, and only then exit a heart.
West has to give you your twelfth trick. The location of the club Ten is irrelevant.
Playing a matchpoint event, red vs white, you are South and end up declaring a contract of 4S (East was Dealer).
West leads the HK (either from HKQ, or singleton).
This is what you see:
[The bidding will probably not proceed that way in real life]
Without thinking too much, you win the HA and you play a trump to your Ace and both follow. You draw the last trump and now start thinking.
What is best play to maximize your tricks? (remember, this is matchpoints).
You have a loser in hearts and if West has the CK you have a club loser too, and won't make more than 11 tricks.
So suppose East has the CK.
Now you can try an endplay: eliminate diamonds and play the heart to West. West will have to lead a club. If West has the CT and leads low, then because of the shortage of entries to dummy, you have to play the 9 from dummy (forcing east to cover), and make 3 club tricks getting you to 12 tricks in total.
This plan fails if East has the KT, because you cannot get back to dummy to trap the K.
There is a better play for 12 tricks.
After drawing trumps, you play three rounds of diamonds ending in the dummy. Now play the CJ. East has to cover this. You win the CA, and only then exit a heart.
West has to give you your twelfth trick. The location of the club Ten is irrelevant.
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