This deal is from the Portland Pairs in 2010, with a small alteration. You open the South hand three hearts and partner raises you to six hearts. West leads a diamond and you wonder whether partner should have tried harder for a grand slam. However, after winning the ace of diamonds you cash the heart ace and East discards a diamond. You are pleased not to be in seven hearts now, but how do you proceed? Solution You will have to be lucky now; your best chance is to find West with a specific distribution (4513 or 3523) along with the spade queen and play to reduce your trumps to the same length as West's. Cash the top clubs throwing a diamond and ruff a club in hand. Take the spade king and finesse the spade jack, cash the spade ace throwing a diamond. Then ruff a spade or diamond back to hand depending on West's spade length. Both West and South are now down to four trumps each, simply exit with a low trump and West is forced to lead up to your KQ10 of hearts. |