bridge

bridge

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x3 2

u4 3

vA J 10 9 8 4 3

w10 9

WEST EAST

xK 10 7 5 xJ 9 6 4

uJ 10 9 7 uK 6 5 2

v6 vQ 7 5

wJ 7 5 2 w8 6

SOUTH

xA Q 8

uA Q 8

vK 2

wA K Q 4 3

The bidding

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2w Pass 2v Pass

3NT Pass 4v Pass

6NT Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Jack of u

Study the diagram above. How should South play his no-trump slam to guard against almost any distribution?

The auction is interesting. South decided that his good five-card minor suit made the hand worth more than its face value of 24 high-card points. Two clubs was an artificial game force, two diamonds was a waiting response and the rest of the auction was natural. North’s four diamonds was a mild slam try which South decided to accept because of his high honor in partner’s suit and first-round control of the other three suits.

It might seem that the contract is doomed because of the diamond situation. Truth of the matter is that South can claim 12 tricks as long as diamonds do not break 4-0!

Declarer wins the first trick as cheaply as possible and leads a low diamond, finessing in dummy with the eight! If East wins, declarer wins any return and can overtake the diamond king with the ace to get home with six diamond tricks, three clubs, two hearts and a spade, so East must hold up. That proves no better.

Declarer clears the king of diamonds and leads a low club, to dummy! Regardless of what the defense does, declarer now has an entry to dummy in clubs and the slam comes rolling in — with an overtrick if West does not grab the jack of clubs on the first lead of the suit.

2011 Tribune Media Services