Testing problems for declarer

David Bird from England has surely written more bridge books than anyone else. He has over 100 and counting. One of his most recent is

Point Press). It contains 100 declarer-play problems spread evenly over 10topics.Theyaretesting,but not impossible. If you would like either to improve or to practice your play, this book will suit you. Today’s deal comes from the chapter on slams. How should South plan the play in six spades after West leads the club jack? Spades break 3-3. In the auction, most tournament players would open the North hand with ace-king, ace and a good five-card suit. However, North should have rebid one no-trump. South’s four no-trump was Roman Key Card Blackwood in diamonds. North showed three key cards (three aces, or two aces and the diamond king). South then jumped to six spades, even though his partner might have been void in the suit. It’s called author’s license. South starts with 11 tricks: five spades, two hearts, two diamonds and two clubs. The only chance of a 12th winner is to establish dummy’s diamond suit. If that is also 3-3, an overtrick can be scored, but what if they are the more likely 4-2? Afterwinningtrickone and drawing trumps, declarer should duck a diamond. If an opponent shifts to hearts, South wins with his king, plays off dummy’s top diamonds (pitching,say,aclub),ruffsa diamond, crosses to dummy with a heart, and discards his low heart on the high diamond eight.