MPs
Dealer: East
Vulnerable: Both

AUCTION
EAST	SOUTH	WEST	NORTH
1	2	Pass	2
Pass	3	Pass	3
Pass	4	Pass	Pass

West leads the 5. East wins the K, cashes the A and continues with the J, which you ruff. Next you cash the QA, both opponents following.

Plan the play.

Solution, Auction 1

There are nine top tricks (5 hearts, 3 diamonds, and 1 club), so the key to the hand is how to tackle the club suit, in order to develop the tenth trick. Since East opened the bidding, you are almost completely certain that he holds both the king and queen of clubs; afterall, you are looking at 26 HCPs between your hand and dummy's.

Your plan should be to strip the hand by cashing the diamonds, ending in dummy. Then simply lead a low club toward the jack, and if East does hold the KQ, he is finished. Say that East has turned up with 5 spades, 2 hearts, 2 diamonds, and four clubs, so that this will be the position when you lead the 5 from dummy.

If East ducks the trick, your J wins and is your tenth trick. If he rises with the king or queen, he is endplayed, forced to lead away from his remaining club honor (you insert the jack, of course), or present you with a ruff and discard.

The full deal:

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