Dummy play has a fascination of its own. It excites and provides an opportunity for the declarer to think ahead using foresight and logic. Some plays are difficult and not too obvious at first like the problem below wherein NS land in a contract of 4S held on these cards as under:
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North
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J 10 9
7 6 3
K Q 4
A 10 8 3
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South
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A K Q 3 2
J 10 9
A 8 7 6
7
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The bidding opened with south bidding is, north 2C, south 2D, north 3S and south finally bidding 4S.
The opening lead is the AH, followed by the KH and QH. Already booked, the contract looks a bit dicey. For although 10 tricks can be counted with 5 spades, 3 diamonds, 1 club, and the possibility of diamond breaking 3-3 or with the opponent holding 2 trumps pitted also with 2 diamonds so that he is unable to prevent the 4th diamond ruff in dummy.
If you are in south's seat how would you play the hand? Well, there is a clear cut way to make 4S safe and secure. Can you see how? Yes by dummy reversible. After west cashed his 3 top hearts, he shifted to a club which declarer takes with AC in dummy. Now from dummy's view point if one cares to analyze, there are no losers any where else except in clubs. But then all 3 clubs can be ruffed in hand with the proper timing as follows. Ruff a club high with AS, crossed dummy with 9S to ruff another club high with the KS; back in dummy with 10S, you can ruff the last club with the last trump in your hand scoring the QS ruff to record 6 tricks. Now all that needs to be done is to get into dummy with the KD to knock out the opponents the last trump. The AK of diamonds bring the trick taking toll to 10 for the west east hands were as under.
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West East
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8 7 6 5 4
A K Q 4 8 5 2
J 10 5 2 9 3
5 4 2 K Q J 9 6
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One next illustration focuses on sound reasoning in dummy play technique with WE landing in 4H on the following bidding holding the following cards.
The bidding went as under:
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West East
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3 A J 7 4 2
J 10 9 8 7 6 A Q
K 2 A 10 7 6 5
A 7 6 5 J
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N E S W
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3C Dbl P 4H
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