Complimentary Issue of Better Bridge Magazine March / April 2020 | Page 7

LOOK-ALIKES
BY AUDREY GRANT
On both these deals, you are in 4♥ and West leads the ♠Q. The only difference is South’s ♠2 on the
first deal has been replaced with the ♦2 in the second deal.
Question: Would you play the same way in both deals?
A 9 6
J 7 4
K J 6
A 8 5 3
♠
♥
♦
♣
n
LEAD
♠Q
w
e
8 5 2
A K 8 5 3
A Q 10
7 6
4♥
n
LEAD
♠Q
s
♠
♥
♦
♣
A 9 6
J 7 4
K J 6
A 8 5 3
♠
♥
♦
♣
4♥
w
e
s
♠
♥
♦
♣
8 5
A K 8 5 3
A Q 10 2
7 6
Cover the bottom of the page while you plan the play.
♠
♥
♦
♣
Q J 10 3
Q 2
9 5 3
K J 9 2
♠
♥
♦
♣
A 9 6
J 7 4
K J 6
A 8 5 3
n
w
e
s
♠
♥
♦
♣
8 5 2
A K 8 5 3
A Q 10
7 6
4♥
♠
♥
♦
♣
K 7 4
10 9 6
8 7 4 2
Q 10 4
After the ♠A is driven out, there will be two sure spade
losers and a sure club loser. So you can’t afford to lose a
heart trick. Missing five hearts, including the ♥Q, ♥10,
and ♥9, the only chance is one of the defenders holds a
doubleton ♥Q.
After winning the ♠A, play the ♥A and the ♥K. On the
actual deal, the ♥Q falls on the second round of hearts.
You can draw the defender’s last trump with the ♥J. You
can then take your winners, losing only two spades and
a club.
♠
♥
♦
♣
Q J 10
Q 10 9 2
9 5 3
K J 9
♠
♥
♦
♣
A 9 6
J 7 4
K J 6
A 8 5 3
n
w
e
s
♠
♥
♦
♣
8 5
A K 8 5 3
A Q 10 2
7 6
4♥
♠
♥
♦
♣
K 7 4 3 2
6
8 7 4
Q 10 4 2
After the ♠A is driven out, you will have a sure spade
loser and a sure club loser. Since you can afford to lose
one heart trick but not two, you want to play hearts in
the safest manner to avoid more than one loser.
After winning the ♠A, play the ♥A and then lead a low
heart toward dummy’s ♥J. On the actual deal, West can
win the ♥Q but, on regaining the lead, you can draw
one of West’s remaining trumps with the ♥J and cross to
the South hand to draw West’s last trump with the ♥K.
You lose only one spade, one club, and one heart. If the
defenders’ hearts were divided 3-2, you would lose one
heart trick but no more. Leading toward the ♥J guards
against West holding four hearts, including the ♥Q.
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