28th November 2018


S
J108
   

H
J52
   
    D 9743
   
    C 984
   
S
Q954
    S
AK
H
864
    H
AK1093
D
K
    D
AQJ10
C
KJ1076
    C
Q3
    S
7632
   
    H
Q7
   
    D
8652
   
    C
A52
   




This deal is from the Highland congress in Aviemore in November.

Six notrump by East or West is tricky on a diamond lead because of the entry problems.  Declarer has to cash all the top winners in the East hand and then play a club forcing South to give an entry to West.  Fortunately South has only two hearts and not five diamonds.  On any other lead six notrump is trivial.  Six hearts has two obvious losers, six clubs is cold, but six spades in the four-two fit makes on the same line as six notrump, in addition needing the jack, ten, eight of spades to be tripleton and there to be no defensive club ruff.

Thanks to Neil Thomas for reporting this curiosity