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A
deal from a recent duplicate at Cheadle Hulme Bridge Club.
After
the above auction North, with an unenviable choice,
led a small spade. West won and returned a
spade, again ducked by North while South discarded
the three of diamonds showing standard count.
A third spade was now played to North's ace while
South discarded the three of clubs. North now
cashed the ace of diamonds felling declarer's
king. North can now deduce that declarer's
distribution is 5215 and that South must have the
ace of hearts to be able to beat the contract.
However North would like a club ruff as well to beat
it by two tricks. North should play the heart
king followed by the heart two. When South
wins this with the jack he has a count on the heart
suit and also knows that West is 5215 or 6214.
In the latter case North would have a singleton club
which he would have led initially, so North must
have a void club.
Although
this deal is an example of good cooperative
partnership defence, perhaps the most remarkable
aspect of it is that North South can make a grand
slam in diamonds, with a fair amount of good
fortune. Six diamonds is a fair contract and
five diamonds excellent yet all tables played in
spades by West at some level.
Thanks to John Currie for the analysis of this deal |
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