Locked

Hi all

Another one from the glorious match last monday. At both tables 5 went down one, but in the post mortem Wim found the way to eleven tricks.

South Dealer
EW Vul
North
QT2
942
J8
AKQ84
South
A84
AQ75
6
JT953
West
North
East
South
 
 
 
11
pass
22
pass
23
pass
24
pass
3
pass
35
pass
36
pass
47
pass
48
pass
59
a.p.
 
 

1. 15-17 balanced or unbalanced 4+
2. Inverted
3. unbalanced
4. stopper
5. Half a stop?
6. No, but something extras in
7. Not enough for 5, but interpreted as slaminvitational
8. Cue
9. Pulling the brakes

The plan. Take the trump lead in dummy and immediately play a . Take the (likely) trump continuation again in dummy and ruff the other . Cross to dummy in trumps, finesse in , and play Ace and a third round. This is the position:

South Dealer
EW Vul
North
QT2
84
South
A84
7
J

East will be on lead and has to lead away from the King of or give a ruff and discard. On the thirteenth you can dispose of the other losing then. But what if East throws his King, foreseeing the throw in? Too bad, West holds the Jack, so the position is locked frozen for the opponents. Complete deal:

South Dealer
EW Vul
North
QT2
942
J8
AKQ84
West
J75
J83
AT754
62
East
K963
KT6
KQ932
7
South
A84
AQ75
6
JT953