3rd March 2021

A deal from a NICKO match.
Dealer S N-S vul.

S 873
H KQ4
D KQ543
C 84
   


   
S AQ10
H A
D A82
C AK10953


After an auction best forgotten apart from the fact that South opened two clubs and West overcalled two spades, you reach six notrump.
West leads the ten of diamonds, form a plan.

Solution

John Currie played carefully to make sure that he could cope with a 4-1 club break and didn't get stranded from his heart winners in dummy.
He won the first diamond in hand and played a top club and the ace of hearts.
Then a diamond to dummy and the eight of clubs, overtaking with the nine when East played low.
He could now claim 12 tricks.
A slight improvement is to cash a second top heart from dummy throwing a spade before leading the eight of clubs catering for the unlikely case that West has overcalled on a 5224 distribution, then West would have to lead away from the spade king or club queen on winning the second club.

The full deal was


Dealer South
S
873
   
N-S vul
H
KQ4
   
    D KQ543
   
    C 84
   
S
KJ9652
    S
4
H
976
    H
J108532
D
109
    D
J76
C
J6
    C
Q72
    S
AQ10
   
    H
A
   
    D
A82
   
    C
AK10953
   


Thanks to John Currie for this deal