Jimmy Sez #8
Declaring tough hands well comes from experience. When an opponent leads trump against you, ask yourself why he is making the passive lead. In the Monday club game the following hand came up...
A- 8 4
H- Q J 6
D- A Q 9 8 7 6 5
S- K 10 7 3 C- 4 S- 9 6 5
H- 8 4 H- 9 5 3
D- K 4 3 2 D- 10
C- K 9 8 S- A Q J 2 C- 10 7 6 5 3 2
H- A K 10 7 2
D- J
C-A Q J
S E N W
1H P 2D P
2S P 3H P
4NT P 5D P
When opponents lead trump against a slam, they are not trying to set up tricks. They usually are trying not to give Declarer tricks.
In this hand the important suit is in the dummy. If you can only lose one diamond, you will have 6 diamonds, 5 hearts and two Aces with no need to take any finesses providing trumps break no worse than 3-2. You therefore must take the first lead in your hand to preserve the trump entry to dummy to be able to run the diamonds. Lead the diamond Jack and cover with the Queen. If it loses and diamonds break no worse than 3-2 the n the suit will come in with one ruff. The diamond telltale 10 indicates that diamonds are breaking 4-1. Still you must just let the 5 ride in an attempt to give up to the diamond King. Pitch a small spade. If a diamond comes back and is ruffed and over ruffed the club King then is threatened with a ruffing finesse.
Rule: When the opening lead is a trump against your slam, expect any finesses into that hand to fail.