Mistake 7

perpetrated by Rob Sheehan (The Times, London, 1998)

	♠ Q10432 ♥ 87 ♦ 2 ♣ AK765
♠ AK65 ♥ A2 ♦ 8765 ♣ QJ10		♠ J987 ♥ 6543 ♦ A43 ♣ 98
	♠ none ♥ KQJ109 ♦ KQJ109 ♣ 432

South is declarer in four hearts.

Rob Sheehan claimed that the contract would be defeated on the lead of a top spade, ruffed by South, provided that East wins the first diamond and switches to a trump, ducked by West, who wins the second trump and leads the other top spade.

What did Rob Sheehan miss?  Is the contract defeated on a top spade lead?  Does any other lead defeat the contract?

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© Hugh Darwen, 2001

Date last modified: 28 January, 2007