Avoidance Play

A play made by declarer to ensure a particular defender does not gain the lead:

                    6 4 3

                    A J 2

                    K T 4

                    7 6 5 4

K T 8 7 2                     A 9

9 5                               Q T 8 6 3

8 6 5                            Q J 7 3 2

J 3 2                            K

                    Q J 5

                    K 7 4

                    A 9

                    A Q T 9 8

South plays in 3NT.  On a spade lead,  south wins the 3rd round and enters  dummy with a diamond and leads a low club.  When the king appears south makes the avoidance play of ducking, thereby preventing West from gaining the lead and cashing his spades.

Note that east can defeat the contract by throwing his king of clubs on the 3rd round of spades, thereby promoting the Jack of clubs as an entry. 

Compiled by Lorne Russell 2005