FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

TEST YOUR END PLAYS

This week’s deals have treated end plays: giving an opponent the lead in a position where any lead will help you. Look at today’s North-South cards. Plan the play at six spades. (North’s bid of four hearts is a “splinter,” showing spade support, heart shortness and slam interest.)

West leads the king of hearts to dummy’s ace. South draws trumps and can rely on a club finesse with the queen. Do you see an extra chance? Possession of extra trumps can signal a chance for an end play, and South certainly has them here. He should cash the A-K of diamonds and lead his jack of hearts: queen, ruff.

Last Diamond

South then ruffs dummy’s last diamond. He has “stripped” the diamonds so the defenders can’t lead a diamond safely if they get in. South then leads the nine of hearts.

When West plays low, South discards a club from dummy — a loser on a loser — and when East takes the ten, he is endplayed. He must lead a red card, yielding a ruffsluff, or lead a club from his king.

Daily Question

You hold: ♠ Q J 9 7 6 3 ♥ A ♦ 8 6 5 ♣A Q 6. Your partner opens one diamond, you bid one spade and he raises to three spades. What do you say?

Answer: Slam is likely. Partner has a hand worth about 17 points with fourcard support. A minimum such as K

10 5 2, 7 6 5, A K Q 4 2, K will produce 12 tricks. Cue-bid four clubs. If partner replies with four diamonds, you will cuebid four hearts. If he has A K 5 2, K 7 6, A K 9 3 2, 7, you may reach a winning grand slam.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable