Hi Lilley, Hi Lilley, High-Low

By Ron Klinger

Many declarers were too high on Board 13 from Round 15. In the Seniors, David Lilley made use of a favourable lead to bring in 4♥:

Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ A J 10 9 6 3 2 ♥ 8 5 ♦ Q J 9 ♣ J
♠ – ♥ A Q J 10 9 7 2 ♦ 7 ♣ A K 8 6 2		♠ K 8 7 5 4 ♥ – ♦ K 10 6 5 4 2 ♣ Q 5
	♠ Q ♥ K 6 4 3 ♦ A 8 3 ♣ 10 9 7 4 3

West	North	East	South
Lilley		Smolanko
	3♠	Pass	Pass
4♥	All Pass

Lead: ♣J

Declarer has nine tricks but, with the bad club break and the ♦A over the king, a tenth trick seems impossible without help from the opposition. It is true that the ♦Q lead, followed by a club switch, will defeat 4♥, but why should North find that lead? North started with the ♣J and Lilley won with the ace to play ♥A then ♥Q. South took the ♥K and returned a low club to dummy's queen. A low spade was ruffed and that stripped South of spades. The club position was known and South figured to hold the ♦A on the bidding. Therefore Lilley ran all the trumps but one to reach this position:

	♠ A J ♥ – ♦ Q J 9 ♣ –
♠ – ♥ 7 ♦ 7 ♣ K 8 6		♠ K 8 ♥ – ♦ K 10 6 ♣ –
	♠ – ♥ – ♦ A 8 ♣ 10 9 7

So far declarer has lost only one trick and needs to take three of the last five tricks. He continued with his last trump, throwing a diamond from dummy. What was South to do? If he discarded a club, declarer would continue with king and another club, discarding spades and forcing South on lead. South would have to give declarer the ♦K as the game-going trick.

In practice, South discarded the ♦8. Lilley now exited with a diamond. South won and played the ♣10. Lilley ducked and made the last two tricks with the ♣K 8.