How do you play?

Another early round hand:

Board 6
Dlr E
Vul E-W

♠	J 10 2
♥	K Q 8 7 5
♦	K 8 3
♣	K 10
♠	8 4
♥	A J 10 3
♦	Q 6 4
♣	A Q 9 7

[Hands not switched, North is declarer]

West	North	East	South
		Pass	1♣
Pass	1♥	Pass	2♥
Pass	2♠	Pass	4♥
All Pass

This was the auction at our table (2♠ was artificial, and 4♥ was max balanced with 4 trumps) and the defense took 3 quick tricks for a fast 420.

However, say East leads the ♦J and West wins the Ace and plays back another. You draw trumps in 3 rounds as East shakes 2 diamonds. Now what?


Seems like you might as well run your red winners and then clubs.  But, when you do, no one pitches any clubs but LHO pitches 2 low spades and a spade honor.  Well, now you can cash 2 clubs and exit a spade for a winkle!  In the 3 card ending, it appears LHO has Jx of clubs and a spade honor.  Either he holds the spade and leads into your tenace, or RHO overtakes, establishing a spade trick in dummy.


I don't know who, but Andy spoke to someone who found this line.  Sadly, it turns out the ♣J was 3rd all along so the winkle wasn't necessary.  And, had it been on, RHO could hold onto some diamond winners to defeat it.

[Andy] This hand is an example of why bridge is such a great game. At our table, Franco left the table while I played the hand. When he came back I first told him "completely flat board." Then I said, "no wait, I guess if the ♣J is dropping and the defenders don't take the first three tricks I can do better." I would never have known about the winkle possibility if I hadn't randomly heard about it after the session.