Two losers were turned into one

The lure of an overtrick has led many declarers to defeat. If trying for that overtrick may cost a game or slam bonus, it is a poor investment. Today’s deal is a typical example.

North’s four-club response was a splinter bid showing the values for a raise to four spades with a singleton or void in clubs. South controlbid twice, North control-bid the diamond ace, and South jumped to the slam.

Realizing South was worried about diamonds, West led that suit. Declarer won with dummy’s king, drew trumps ending on the board and took the heart finesse. West won with the king and exited with a diamond. After winning with dummy’s ace, declarer led a second heart. East’s discard was a painful jolt. However South wriggled now, he couldn’t avoid the loss of another heart trick: down one.

Declarer should do some housekeeping before touching hearts. After drawing trumps, he should eliminate the minors. He cashes the diamond ace, ruffs the diamond jack in hand, cashes the club ace and ruffs the club five in the dummy. Then he can take the heart finesse.

West cannot defeat the slam. If he wins with the king and returns a low heart, dummy’s nine takes the trick. If West wins and returns a minor, the ruff-and-sluff is all South needs. So West ducks his king. Declarer crosses to dummy with a trump and leads another heart, but when East discards, South plays the heart four from his hand, endplaying West.

Finally, I agree that in a duplicate, if the odds are in your favor, it can be right to risk your contract in the quest for an overtrick.