Here is an interesting double-dummy problem to solve
Double-dummy lets you, as a declarer, peak at the opponent's cards to make your very difficult contract
But it also allows the defenders to see each other's cards.
So always assume best defence
The hand is from Thursday's bridge at Eastern Cape on the 5th
After West opened 3❤️, North bids 3♠️ and South raises to 4♠️, a common contract
At every table East led ❤️7
Not surprisingly not one North managed to make the contract
As you can see, the LMITB tells you that 10 tricks in spades is there regardless of the defence.
The ❤️A is played by West nailing your king and you ruff the next heart
You cash 2 rounds of spades discovering the bad break
You still have to lose a diamond, so your task is not to lose more than 1 trump
You must eliminate East's minor suit cards with the loss of only 1 trick, the ace of diamonds
So you lead a club to the 9 and play a top diamond.
East takes the ace and, with nothing better to do returns a diamond, won in hand
You play a club to the jack, and cash the ace.
In dummy you cash the established diamonds forcing east, with nothing but trumps left, to ruff the 4th with ♠5 and has to lead one from ♠J7 into declarer's ♠Q8 thereby avoiding the loss of a second trump trick
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