Surplus trumps

“I thought I had a handle on endplay technique,” a club player said to me, “but I guess my handle broke off. I went down at a slam, and my partner said it was cold.”

My friend took the ace of hearts, ruffed a heart and cashed the ace of trumps. He took the ace of clubs, ruffed a club in dummy, ruffed a heart and ruffed his last club. He next led a diamond.

“When East played the jack,” South said, “I put up my ace, led a trump to dummy and tried a second diamond to my queen. I’d have been safe if West had held K-7. As it was, I lost two diamonds.”

SURE BET

South was right to try for an end play; the presence of surplus trumps indicated that an end play was possible. But South missed a sure bet. After ruffing a heart at Trick Two, he leads a trump to dummy, ruffs a heart, gets back with a trump and leads a club to his ten.

West wins but must concede the slam. Whether he leads a minor suit, giving a free finesse, or a heart for a ruff-sluff, South gets a 12th trick.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: None K 8 6 J 10 9 6 Q 7 5 4 3 2. Your partner opens one spade, you respond 1NT and he rebids two spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: This is all partner’s fault. If the oaf had bid some other suit at his second turn, you would be at ease. You may wish you had passed one spade, but partner could have had a hand such as A 9 7 5 3, A 7 5, 3, A K 9 8 where you could make a game or slam at clubs. Pass now and take your medicine. Don’t fight a misfit. South dealer N-S vulnerable