Both vulnerable. South deals.

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x A 8 6 5 3
u 8 6
v A K J
w Q 9 5
WEST EAST
x K 10 4 2 x Q 9
u Q 5 u 9 7 2
v 8 5 4 v Q 10 7 3 2
w J 6 4 3 w 10 8 7
SOUTH
x J 7
u A K J 10 4 3
v 9 6
w A K 2
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 1x Pass
3u Pass 4v Pass
5w Pass 6u Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Two of x
Here's an opportunity to test your declarer play. Cover the East-West hands and decide: How would you play six hearts after the lead of a low spade to East's queen?
South's jump to three hearts was invitational, showing a good hand and at least a semisolid six-card suit. North made an advance cue-bid of four diamonds and, when South cooperated with a club cue-bid, leaped to six in the known eight-card major-suit fit.
With a minor-suit lead, the slam, at worst, would have depended on one of two finesses succeeding, a 75 percent chance. The spade lead changed all that. Since the defense now had a certain trick in that suit, you cannot afford to take a losing finesse since that would result in instant defeat. Just because all finesses have the same mathematical chance of success doesn't mean that they are all equal. How should declarer proceed?
The answer is that, for the moment, declarer should disdain any finesse. There is a line that offers almost the same chance as two finesses. Declarer should win the ace of spades and, spurning a finesse, cash the ace and king of hearts. If the queen of hearts drops, declarer has 12 tricks. If not, declarer still has a 50 percent chance for his contract -- the diamond finesse. Declarer continues by leading a diamond to the jack and the fate of the slam depends on whether or not the finesse succeeds.
& copy; 2006 Tribune Media Services
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