BRIDGE JACK STOCKEN

Today’s hand comes from a Chicago game and sees the expert declarer give herself a slim extra chance in the trump suit – can you spot it?

South’s 5♥ was an optimistic slam try as North had limited their hand with a direct raise to 3NT. However, North had easily enough in the tank for 6♥.

West led the ace of clubs against 6♥ and a second club, won in dummy with the king. Declarer needed to bring in the trump suit for no loss and planned to lead a small heart from dummy to the ace, in case of a singleton queen with West. Then she would be faced with a choice of finessing the queen of hearts or playing for the drop, marginally better.

Declarer realised that the nine of hearts in dummy was a useless card so why not lead it and tempt East into covering with the ten which he did, hoping to promote the queen or eight of hearts later.

This was a fatal cover for East as declarer won with the ace of hearts, back to dummy with the king of diamonds and led the three of hearts, five from East and declarer won with the seven, West having already showed out.

Declarer returned to dummy with the ace of spades and led her third and final heart, the six, East covered with the eight and declarer’s jack of hearts. Declarer cashed the king of hearts felling East’s queen and claimed twelve tricks, 6♥ made.

Should East have covered the nine of hearts with the ten? No – declarer was clearly marked with at least a six card heart suit and so covering would not promote a heart for either partner or for East. Well played declarer for giving East a chance to go wrong.

Note that even with a holding of Jxxxx opposite AK9xx it cannot cost to lead the jack from dummy, hoping that East makes the mistake of covering with Q10x. Declarer can then finesse the ten and not lose a trick in the suit.