[LashOut]

Hi,

I read the solution carefully but found it hard to understand the reaction of the East during my practice.

The East doesn't cash with its club K immediately after the South's club A is gone. Instead, it let the South crosses the lead to the North.

Is it designed to be this way? If so, why is it?

[smerriman]

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In situations like this it's generally best for East to win the third club, not the second. While it makes no difference on this hand, winning the second club means as soon as declarer wins another trick, they can immediately cash the clubs and preserve the ♥K for later. By waiting until declarer has run out of clubs, it makes it harder for them to get to dummy.

And that's really the point of this hand - if you attempt to win the ♥K early so that you can take a club finesse, you will be beaten specifically by East refusing to play his King until you have run out of clubs, preventing you from even taking the winning clubs.

[LashOut]

smerriman, on 2025-December-01, 01:56, said:

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In situations like this it's generally best for East to win the third club, not the second. While it makes no difference on this hand, winning the second club means as soon as declarer wins another trick, they can immediately cash the clubs and preserve the ♥K for later. By waiting until declarer has run out of clubs, it makes it harder for them to get to dummy.

And that's really the point of this hand - if you attempt to win the ♥K early so that you can take a club finesse, you will be beaten specifically by East refusing to play his King until you have run out of clubs, preventing you from even taking the winning clubs.

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for your detailed explanation.