bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK 8 3

u9 8 4 3

vK 7 2

wA Q J

WEST EAST

xQ 10 2 x9 6 4

uK 6 uVoid

vJ 10 9 3 vQ 8 6 5 4

w10 6 5 2 wK 9 8 7 3

SOUTH

xA J 7 5

uA Q J 10 7 5 2

vA

w4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u Pass 3NT Pass

6u Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Jack of v

Finesses, finesses everywhere, yet declarer landed a good small slam in hearts by spurning them all!

North’s jump to three no trump was a balanced game force in hearts. With such extreme distribution, South correctly judged that there would be excellent play for slam even though the high-card count would suggest otherwise — the minor-suit high cards held by the enemy were not going to take many tricks.

West led the jack of diamonds, and declarer was delighted with the contract.

The first trick was won with the ace perforce. Declarer crossed to the table with the king of spades, cashed the king of diamonds for a spade discard and ruffed a diamond in the closed hand.

Next, a club to the ace provided the entry to lead a trump toward the closed hand and, when East showed out, declarer rose with the ace and threw West on lead by exiting with the queen of trumps.

Now the advantage of eliminating the diamond suit became obvious. West could not lead another diamond since that would give a ruff-sluff and the contract. But neither black suit was any better.

A spade would be into declarer’s A-J tenace and a club would allow declarer to ruff away the king, cross to the board with a trump and discard the jack of spades on the high club in dummy.

2012 Tribune Media Services