bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x5 4

uK Q J 8

vA 6 3

w6 5 4 2

WEST EAST

xK J 10 8 x9 7 6 2

u6 4 u7 3

vQ 7 v10 9 8 5

wK Q J 10 8 w9 7 3

SOUTH

xA Q 3

uA 10 9 5 2

vK J 4 2

wA

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u 2w 3w Pass

6u Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of w

There is one major difference in the outlook on finesses between the average player and the expert. The average player cannot wait to take a finesse, while the technician seeks a way to avoid it! Why be satisfied with a 50 percent or 75 percent shot when there might be a better way?

South’s hand, containing three aces, a king and a singleton in the opponents’ suit, was way stronger than its point count might indicate. When North showed a limit raise or better with the club cue-bid, South took the direct route to the heart slam.

West led the king of clubs, taken with the ace. When two rounds of trumps extracted all the enemy fangs, a most welcome development, it might seem that the simple way to slam was via finesses in both spades and diamonds — if either succeeded, 12 tricks were a sure thing!

However, declarer found a way to improve on that via a safety play in diamonds.

Declarer continued by leading a diamond to the king and returning to dummy via a diamond to the ace. When that fetched the queen, 12 tricks were in the bag and the 13th hinged on the spade finesse — against the odds because of the auction.

However, if the queen of diamonds did not drop, there were other chances. Declarer would continue with a diamond from the table and, as long as East held another diamond, the contract was in the bag.

If West held the queen, the 13th diamond would be set up for a spade discard. If East held four diamonds, the jack of diamonds would become a trick.

Either way, the slam was guaranteed. And if West started with four diamonds to the queen, declarer could still fall back on the spade finesse.

2012 Tribune Media Services