[Hanoi5]

I'm gonna teach this class on the importance of thinking on the first trick. Of course I'll be using these extreme hands where the very first play determines what will happen in the hand. Actually, it's somewhat common that contracts be made or defeated on the very first trick.

So, I have 14 hands, 8 from the internet and 6 from a Kantar book. I haven't been looking very hard but I remember this one hand where West opens with a pre-emptive and you get to certain contract, West leads his/her suit and you can't put up dummy's ace for it might/will get ruffed and anyway you can/need to use it for a discard in order to make the contract. Would someone point to that hand somewhere on the internet? Or a book? I can make one up but I don't feel like it.

If you happen to have more of these hands I would also appreciate it.

[Trumpace]

Here is one.

You are in 6H.

West leads the ♥4.

You see:

Scoring: Rubber

Lead ♥4.

---

[kfay]

There's a good hand from Love's 'Bridge Squeezes Complete' if you have it. In the chapter on endplays, declaring 6♣.

I'll find it when I get home. Right now visiting my parents for Easter.

[dicklont]

Not so long ago I had this ordinary 3NT on BBO.

Scoring: IMP

- p p 1NT
p 3NT a.p.

---

Lead ♥4. dummy 9, east 3.
You must win this trick with A or K or you will never enjoy the diamonds in the dummy.

[bid_em_up]

dicklont, on Apr 11 2009, 02:15 AM, said:

Not so long ago I had this ordinary 3NT on BBO.

Scoring: IMP

-  p  p  1NT
p 3NT a.p.

---

Lead ♥4. dummy 9, east 3.
You must win this trick with A or K or you will never enjoy the diamonds in the dummy.

I really don't think this is a very good example (It's true you need to win the first trick with the A or K in order to be able to get back to dummy. Whether or not you should make 3N is a different story altogether.)

I believe that there are many excellent hands of this nature in "The Most Puzzling Situations In Bridge" by Terence Reese (iirc). Can double check tonight when I get home.