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Hand played on |
November 15th 2007 - |
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Board number |
5 - Combined Section |
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Dealer |
North |
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Vulnerability |
NS Vulnerable |
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Submitted by |
Alaric Cundy |
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North ♠ AK2 ♥ AT93 ♦ AJ53 ♣ 86 |
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West ♠ 63 ♥ QJ8652 ♦ T74 ♣K4 |
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East ♠ QJT98 ♥ 74 ♦ Q98 ♣ 952 |
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North |
Bidding:
East |
South |
West |
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♠ 754 ♥ K ♦ K62 ♣ AQJT73 |
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1♥ 3NT 5♣ |
No No No |
2♣ 4NT 6NT |
No No End |
North / South were playing the popular style that a 2NT re-bid after a 2-over-one change of suit response is game forcing, so a rebid of 3NT shows a balanced 15-16 HCPs. South took an optimistic view of the hand, and tried for a slam. North's 5♣ bid showed 0 or 3 out of 5 key cards, with clubs as the implied trump suit.
If the club finesse works, the contract is easy - six clubs and three outside Ace / King combinations. East started with a spade, taken by Declarer, who tried the clubs, losing to West's King. West returned a spade, won by Declarer, but now Declarer fell a trick short.
On examining the traveller, at most tables the hand was played in 3NT, mostly making 11 tricks, but a few made 12. South's optimism had led to a 'second bottom' on the board. It is always easier when you can see all four hands and are under no time pressures on the morning after, but there is a successful line available to Declarer here after the first three tricks. Timing is key as a squeeze is effected firstly on West, then on East.
From trick 4, Declarer runs off all the clubs bar one, leaving this 6-card ending position:
North: ♠ 2, ♥ AT9, ♦ AJ, ♣ none
East: ♠ JT9, ♥ none, ♦ Q98, ♣ none. [East could keep two ♥s instead of the 2nd and third ♠ - it makes no difference]
South: ♠ 4, ♥ K, ♦ K62, ♣ 3
West: ♠ none, ♥ QJ8, ♦ T74, clubs ♣
The King of hearts is played from Dummy, West and North follow, and East must discard a spade. Now the last club is played from Dummy. If West throws a heart, Declarer's ten becomes a potential winner, so West must throw a diamond, and Declarer can now throw the ten of hearts; East must throw another spade. Now a small diamond is played to Declarer's Ace, and both West and East follow small. Declarer now plays the Ace of hearts, on which Dummy plays the remaining spade, but East is squeezed. If East throws the last spade then Declarer's 2 becomes good for the 12th trick; if East throws a diamond then both Dummy's remaining diamonds become good...
Ah well, there's always the next time!