Wrong, but Elegant

Team scoring, 2004

	7 x x Q x x x x K x x x x
8 x K x x x A J x J x x x		K Q J x x 10 9 x x x K x x
Lead: x	A 10 9 x x A J Q x A Q 10 x

West - Pass Pass Pass

North - 1NT* 2 3

East Pass Pass Pass All pass

South 1 2 2NT

1NT was forcing for 1 round. Obviously there are at least 2 spade losers and 1 diamond loser. Furthermore, there is a possible loser in hearts and probably 1 or more losers in clubs. The best way to reduce some losers would be to cross to dummy, take a succesful finesse in clubs, and trump a club in dummy. However, there is no communication with dummy and the opponents have already attacked the trump position.

The best line therefore seemed to me to play west for the diamond ace and exactly 2 trumps. Therefore I ducked the first spade. East now strangely switched to the diamond 10. As the deal lies the switch doesn't matter, but it seems wrong. I played the diamond queen. West won her ace and continued with a space for my ace. I crossed to dummy, and succesfully played a club to my queen (if you play to the 10 you can be defeated).

At this point I went wrong. I cashed the club ace and trumped a club in dummy. As east had already shown 9 points, but had passed as opener it was clear that the heart king was wrong. Therefore, my only chance now was an endplay. I ruffed the diamond and exited with a club. West had to win and had to return a heart into my fork, thereby fulfilling my contract.

Ofcourse after the club queen had held, I should have continued with the heart ace and jack. It was clear that only west would be able to win this trick and had no more trumps to remove the third trump in dummy. Then 1 club can be ruffed in dummy, and the other can be thrown on the heart queen. This way, 3 can also be made when west has more than 3 diamonds.