KHATIB KIBITZER
Trump Tight

 
      65
     KQ10
      A32
      87654
 

         1097432
         -
         8765
         QJ10
 

n
 
w           e
 
s

 
   QJ8
   J9876
   J109
   K9
 
        AK
      A5432
     KQ4
      A32
 
 
 
west north east south
Pass Pass Pass 2NT
Pass   3♣* Pass 3*
Pass 4 All Pass  


* Puppet Stayman. South's response showed 5 Hearts
 
Opening lead: Queen of Clubs
Both Sides Vulnerable

A three notrump contract would have yielded nine top winners, and two overtricks if hearts behaved. But for bridge fans of the Puppet Stayman convention, the auction shown would likely be a popular choice. So north-south played in hearts.
 
If trumps were dividing, there would also be 11 easy tricks. And rather than risk a singleton club by either defender, south won when east played club king on the first trick. At trick two, a heart to the king revealed the bad news, and it quickly became clear that avoiding defeat would require holding trump losers to one. So much for trying to immediately draw trumps!
 
South's attempt to cash all his side winners while east followed was fortunately a success, and gave him three diamonds, two spades the ace of clubs he had already scored. With seven winners in the bank, south exited with a club to west.
 
West was able to cash his jack and ten of clubs, but the handwriting was on the wall for the defense. East did his best by tossing his last spade on the third round of clubs. But south had the count and the right plan. When the "trump tight" east was forced to ruff west's return, south underuffed, leaving east on lead and scoring all three remaining hearts on east's forced heart return.

♠   ♥   ♦   ♣

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