#9 East West Vulnerable
South   West   North   East
   1♠           1♦        DBL    Pass
   1♥         Pass      4♥        AP
                                                North (dummy)
                                                ♠ A K J 3
                                                ♥ 10 9 7 6
                                                ♦ Q J
                                                ♣ A 10 9
                        West                                      East
                        ♠ 10 9                                      ♠
                        ♥ A 5 3 2                                 ♥ 
                        ♦ A K 10 9 3                           ♦ 2
                        ♣ 8 6                                       ♣
                                                South (declarer)
                                                ♠
                                                ♥ 
                                                ♦ 4
                                                ♣
 
West leads the ♦A. What is West’s plan?
 
As West, your Axxx of trumps along with a strong side suit can be a powerful defensive weapon, particularly when defending against a 4-4 trump fit. Your goal is to force either hand to trump a diamond. Once you do (even if it means giving them a ruff and a sluff), the opponents are now playing in a 4-3 trump fit. When trumps are played, win the third round. At this point, one opponent has a higher trump than you, the other is void and you have a low trump. But it’s your lead! Play a fourth diamond and force out declarer’s last trump. You are left with the only remaining trump plus your last diamond, also a winner!
 
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