COUNTED OUT

by Jos van Kan.

 
As W you hold at Imps, no one vul, in second seat
 
S: J864
H: JT5
D: AQT
C: 965
 

S opens 1NT, alerted as 12-14, your side passes throughout, N bids 2D: (transfer), S accepts: 2H:, N invites game: 3H: and S accepts with 4H:. You lead (rightly or wrongly) your 4th best S: and the dummy shows:
 

S:72
H: AK9842
D: J32
 C: Q3

Your S:4 goes to partner's K and declarers A, who continues by playing AK of trumps on which partner throws H:Q the second round and declarer follows suit with two small cards.
After that declarer plays C:Q from the board, covered by K and A, she plays C:J and ruffs a C:. Now she plays D:2, partner small and she inserts the 9 which you win with the T. The position is

S: 7 
H: 984 
D: J3 
C: -- 
S: J86 
H: J 
D: AQ 
C: --
Questions:
  1. Who has D:K?
  2. Who has S:Q?
  3. How many C: did declarer start out with at most?
  4. How many D: does declarer have left at least?
  5. How many certain tricks does declarer have at this point?
  6. What card does partner need for the contract to go down and how do you defend?
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copyright © 1997 by Jos van Kan. All rights reserved.