Another Study in Perspective

by Phillip Martin, Scarsdale, NY

South dealer

Neither side vulnerable

West leads the deuce of clubs (third and lowest) to East's king and your ace. How do you play?

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It would appear that your only chance is to induce West to duck when you lead a club to the ten. To do this, you must create the illusion that he will be endplayed should he win the trick. You must hope his shape is 2-5-1-5 (as it rates to be once he didn't lead a spade) and you must convince him that your shape is 3-1-7-2. Accordingly, you should draw one round of trump, play a heart to the ace, ruff a heart, cash ace and king of spades, ruff the last heart, and play a club. West might, and probably should, duck. (He can't assume East would have made a discovery play--jack from king-jack--at trick one, since the discovery play is wrong when East doesn't have an entry.)

It is critical not to draw the last trump, since you must represent a seven-card diamond suit. If West learns you have only six, the illusion of the endplay vanishes.

© 2009 by Phillip Martin