12 English Bridge February 2016 www.ebu.co.uk
West North East South
1™
Pass 2NT Pass 3NT
Pass 4® Pass 4™
Pass 4NT Pass 5™
Pass 5NT Pass 6™
All Pass
SOUTH opens one heart and her partner responds
2NT, Jacoby, showing game values and primary
trump support. Playing a weak no trump, a rebid of
3NT now shows a strong no trump hand. From this,
North knows that there are values for slam, and
proceeds with a 4® cue bid. South replies 4™ with a
minimum hand and no diamond control.
Blackwood establishes all the keycards are
present, which North shows by bidding 5NT, but
South has nothing extra to show and the bidding
comes to rest in 6™.
Despite holding the requisite values, the contract
isn't all that great. How do you plan the play on the
lead of the five of diamonds?
You have only ten top tricks, and a diamond ruff
will take you to eleven, so there is no chance of a
squeeze. Your remaining hope lies in bringing in
the spade suit for no loser. The options are to cash
one top honour, playing for singleton honour with
West, or take the double finesse. The double finesse
has a greater chance of success but can you find out
anything further about the distribution?
You won't be able to cash all your tricks since you
will deprive yourself of the necessary two entries to
dummy should you need the double spade finesse,
since East can split his honours if he realises you
can't get back to dummy. You do best to duck this
trick. It's not that dangerous since it is unlikely that
East did not make a pre-emptive overcall with seven
diamonds at this favourable vulnerability, and it
may help you discover the distribution.
East wins with the queen and returns the four to
your jack, West's king and your ace. Now you can
ruff your third diamond, East following with the
two, and West the ten. Drawing trumps reveals that
West began with three and East two.
This is where we have got to:
You can continue your discovery of the
distribution by playing a club to the queen and one
back to the ace, to which both defenders follow. You
can't try the third club because of the entry
problems so it's time to decide about the spades.
What is your impression of the diamond layout?
N/S Game
Dealer South
´ 10 7 4
™ A Q 10 3
t A 9 3
® A K 4
´ A K 9 5
™ K J 4 2
t J 6
® Q J 9
´ 10 7 4
™ 10
t -
® A K 4
´ A K 9 5
™ -
t -
® Q J 9
N
S
N
S
Discovery plays by Heather Dhondy
Heather's Hints
Heather's Hints
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