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Daily Bridge in New Zealand
in the singular!
Only One Loser.
You certainly do not want that person to be you but that’s certainly the outcome you would like as you have propelled yourself to the 6-level and have bought yourself a not unreasonable dummy. “Fight fire with fire!” East jumped the bidding two levels. You did the same! So, which trick are you expecting to lose?
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West Deals |
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West |
North |
East |
South |
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Pass |
1 ♥ |
3 ♠ |
6 ♦ |
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All pass |
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West leads 
9. Plan the play, starting with trick 1!
If ever there was a deal that needed planning (they all do, really!), then this is it. After the mandatory thanks to partner whose K is more valuable, much more valuable, than they imagine, there is a bit of analysis to be done.
Assuming East has a 7-card spade suit, the lead is a singleton…and trying to ruff your spade loser in dummy will not work.
Talking about losers, you can see two, maybe three if the 
K finesse fails, in your own hand, including one in each black suit.
Talking of that heart finesse, it just has to work or else you may as well write down a minus score straightaway and get on with the next board!
So, do you have your plan yet? Where are you winning trick 1? It looks like you need an entry/entries to your own hand to take that heart finesse. You may well need more than one as West is likely to have more than two hearts, what with East having seven spades.
It looks like you are close to playing to trick 1. Come on now. The move has been called and the director is on your shoulder! Win trick 1 in hand and take a heart finesse. Here are the four hands:
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West Deals |
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West |
North |
East |
South |
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Pass |
1 ♥ |
3 ♠ |
6 ♦ |
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All pass |
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East follows with 4. You next play 
Q and overtake as that is the only way you can get back to your hand. Oh, play a couple more high trumps though as you discard clubs, so East discards spades.
Now repeat the heart finesse as East discards another spade. A discarding your club and ruff a heart back to hand bringing down West’s K. Now, give West their trump trick and West cannot hurt you.
You ruff their enforced club return, cross to the K (are you glad you did not play that card at trick 1?) and discard your spade loser on the established 5th round of hearts. 6 making.
Did you win trick 1 in your hand and then take a heart finesse?
Did you realise that your only loser was not a club nor a spade nor the K but in your apparently solid trump suit?
Bid them up. Play them right….and plan.
Richard Solomon
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