What’s Your Play? 1-10

#10 East-West Vulnerable
South West North East
2♣        Pass    2♦      Pass
2NT     Pass    3NT    AP
 
                                                North Dummy
                                                ♠ A J 10
                                                ♥ 7 6 5
                                                ♦ 8 7 6 4
                                                ♣ 8 7 3
                        West                                       
            Opening lead: ♠2.                             
            East plays the ♠6.                              
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                South Declarer
                                                ♠ K 3
                                                ♥ A K Q 3
                                                ♦ A K 5
                                                ♣ A 6 4 2
 
As South, there are many reasons to take the first trick with the ♠K retaining the option of leading low to the jack. The lead of a low card by West strongly suggests an honor which must be the ♠Q (it’s the only one missing). Furthermore, if East had the ♠Q, it would have been played at trick one. 

Winning the first trick with the ♠K allows you to finesse West for the “known” ♠Q at trick 2. If you win the first trick with the ♠10, the suit is blocked. You can take the ♠A as your second spade trick but South no longer has a little card to lead over to North’s ♠J. 
 
You are now dependent on either diamonds or hearts breaking 3-3 which, as we know…is not the best of odds!

Visit Webinars.PlayBetterBridge.com for free webinar videos called Play These Hands with Me.  World Champion and Master Teacher Donna Compton walks you through her thought process of analyzing the dummy and determining the issue of the hand. She will then talk about how she makes the decision as to which technique to apply. The combination of being a world-class player, along with the ability to share her thoughts with all levels of players makes these webinar videos unique. Married to a multi-time Barry Crane Top 500 Champion and captaining the World’s Top Bridge Team gives Donna access to state-of-the-art bidding, play and defensive agreements.  Join Donna today and take your game to the next level!

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