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ª A Q 6 2
© Q 8 3
¨ K Q 10 7 5
§ J |
You are West, the dealer, and open the bidding with 1NT. North overcalls 2¨, alerted by South. East bids 2NT alerted by you. South bids 3ª and North bids the Spade game. The alerts were explained: 2¨ is the Astro convention showing at least 5:4 or 4:5 cards in Spades and another suit, the 2NT by East is the Lebensohl convention asking West to bid 3§. You lead the K§, won by declarer, who draws trumps in two rounds, then leads 5¨ from dummy to the J¨ in hand. How do you expect to defeat the contract?
Your side has no tricks in trumps and no tricks in Clubs so you must win with your A¨ straight away and switch to Hearts. Not just any old heart will do, it must be the J©. Why? The play of the J© is what is known as a "surround play". Try it at home and you will see that declarer makes the contract if any heart other than the J© is played.
When you are defending it pays to count the possible defensive tricks. The A© in partner's hand is the possible holding which will defeat the contract. If partner does not have the Ace, the contract will make anyway.
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