We are looking at the Rule of Seven. You are in three no-trump. Your only high card in the led suit is the ace (or the king, if righty wins the first trick with the ace). You subtract the number of cards your side has in this suit from seven, and hold up your ace for that number of rounds.
Sometimes, though, when at first glance you seem to have only one stopper in the suit they have led, you actually have two — as in this deal.
Against your contract of three no-trump, West leads the spade four, and East puts up his queen. What would you do?
The auction is as simple as can be.
You have seven top tricks: one spade, one heart, one diamond and four clubs. The extra tricks can come from the diamond suit, even if the finesse loses.
The Rule of Seven tells you to hold up your spade ace until the second round. But note that if you duck the first trick, East will return his second spade, setting up his partner's suit. And when West gets in with his diamond king, he will cash three more spade tricks to take you down one.
Since the diamond finesse is into the West hand, win trick one with your spade ace, play your low club to dummy's 10 (or overtake your king with the ace), and run the diamond queen. The finesse loses, but your contract is safe because your spade jack stops West from running the suit. If he cashes his king, your jack is high; if he leads a low spade, you win with your jack.
Sometimes, though, when at first glance you seem to have only one stopper in the suit they have led, you actually have two — as in this deal.
Against your contract of three no-trump, West leads the spade four, and East puts up his queen. What would you do?
The auction is as simple as can be.
You have seven top tricks: one spade, one heart, one diamond and four clubs. The extra tricks can come from the diamond suit, even if the finesse loses.
The Rule of Seven tells you to hold up your spade ace until the second round. But note that if you duck the first trick, East will return his second spade, setting up his partner's suit. And when West gets in with his diamond king, he will cash three more spade tricks to take you down one.
Since the diamond finesse is into the West hand, win trick one with your spade ace, play your low club to dummy's 10 (or overtake your king with the ace), and run the diamond queen. The finesse loses, but your contract is safe because your spade jack stops West from running the suit. If he cashes his king, your jack is high; if he leads a low spade, you win with your jack.