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

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