BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xQ J

uJ 10 9 2

vA Q 6 3 2

wK J

WEST EAST

x9 4 x8 7 3 2

uK 8 u4 3

v10 9 8 4 vJ 5

C-9 8 5 4 2 C-A Q 10 6 3

SOUTH

xA K 10 6 5

uA Q 7 6 5

vK 7

C-7

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 2v Pass

2u Pass 4u Pass

4NT Pass 5v Pass

6u Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ten of v

Did South find the best line at his contract of six hearts? We will leave that to mathematicians to decide, but it is hard to quarrel with success.

A simple, direct auction got North-South to a slam that seemed to hinge on the trump finesse — not satisfactory at any vulnerability. However, that was partly due to the wasted values in clubs, so neither player can be blamed for this peccadillo.

Declarer received a large slice of luck when West picked the wrong minor for his opening lead — as the cards lie, a club attack would have left South with no recourse other than the heart finesse. Declarer won the diamond in hand and, reluctant to stake everything on the location of the king of hearts, cashed the ace of hearts. When the king did not fall, declarer continued with a diamond to the queen, then led the ace in an effort to discard his losing club.

East’s ruff put a temporary damper on the plan but, in an odd way, the slam had now become a virtual certainty. Declarer overruffed, crossed to the jack of spades and ruffed a diamond in hand, setting up a long card in dummy. Declarer got back to the table with the queen of spades and led the last diamond, discarding the losing club as West ruffed with king. Declarer then claimed the rest of the tricks.

There is another reason why we like declarer’s play. Not only would the heart finesse, and with it the contract, have failed, but who would have been interested in an everyday contract that depended on a finesse? As played, though ...

SCrt 2010 Tribune Media Services