Hand 5
A J 8 6 5
A K 8 7 5 3
9 4
A 9 3
9 3
Q J 9 6 4
A K Q 8 6 5
J 5 4
K Q 7 4 2
2
J 7 3 2
K Q 8 7 6 2
LHO
RHO
PLR
In this next Clumond atempt, the defence successfully piece together the distribution of the suits and arrange to have the key defender on lead at the right time to make the killing play. The critical trick is no. 12 and a slip in the defence would have led to the declarer stealing the riches of the Clumond.
      LHO     RHO     PLR
0     hearts     -----     ------
1     S9        
SA         SJ
2     H3       
H4         H2
3     C8       
C9         C7
4    
CJ        C3         C2
5      S4        S5       
S7
6      D9       D4       
DK
Notes

0.   With length in hearts and clubs affording a free range for the target bids of six to nine and a better than fair chance of achieving as many tricks (looking at the lower end of this range), LHO decides to take the chance with a heart clumond bid.

1.    SA lead shows 6 or 8 spades, less diamonds than spades and at most as many clubss as spades. SJ by PLR shows an even holding.

2.   H4 lead confirms 6 spades, and less than 5 in each of clubs and diamonds, and an odd number of hearts.

4.    2nd round in clubs suggesting a doubleton holding in clubs. This describes fully RHO's hand shape as 2-5-6-3.

5.     The play of S4 suggests also that LHO has only 2 spades, ridding the holding in spades to gain the option of either a free discard or ruff upon the play of a third round by the defence. S5 is played by RHO to allow PLR to win and communicate something. PLR could have ducked this trick, but instead takes the initiative.

6.   DK is played to show a holding of 6 diamonds.
A 6 5
A K 8 7 5
---
A 3
---
Q J 9 6
K Q 8 6
J 5
K Q 4
---
3 2
Q 8 7 6 2
LHO
RHO
PLR
      LHO     RHO     PLR
7      CA       
H9        CK
8     
DA        DJ        D6
9     
HA       HJ         S3
10   
HK       H6         D7
11     H5      
HQ       D8
12                D5        DQ
13     concedes clumond
        
7.   CK lead allows RHO to ruff or discard at his / her option.

10.   H6 is played by RHO to remove the choice of whether to or not to duck a heart trich.

12    Playing on diamonds here is critical. with only hearts and clubs remaining, the minimum target range is 6 and as declarer has only won 4 with one trick remaining, odds are that PLR can either win the trick with the DQ to defeat declarer. This is especially so, if a convention of leading top-of-a-sequence is observed so that the the DK lead at trick no. 6 implied the holding of DQ most likely (and also denies holding the DA).
Had either RHO led a spade at this point, victory would ghave been granted to declarer, by ruffing and playing the last heart.

Post Mortem
The communications exercise payed off here. The DK at trick 6 was a useful piece of information which allowed RHO on lead to arrive at the right decision at the critical moment. The ducking of the heart trick at trick no. 2 may have been an error by declarer also as there was only the chance of winning six tricks (the lower end of the free range).
Home
Home
1