Contract Bridge

Achieving the impossible

One of the most remarkable hands on record is this gem, which appears in the book “Reese on Play.” West’s A-108-7 of diamonds over declarer’s J-9-6-5 appear to constitute two sure trump tricks. Even when all four hands are studied, the slam appears impossible to make.

Nevertheless, the contract can be made. The play starts innocently enough when South wins the spade lead in his hand and leads a low diamond.

West follows with the seven, and the queen wins as East shows out. Prospects for the slam, which appeared a moment before to be a near certainty, suddenly change to a near impossibility. No finesse against West’s potent holding is possible, and the contract seems doomed.

Standard procedure in such situations calls for declarer to picture a hand West might have that would allow the contract to be made.

South should conclude that his only chance lies in attempting to arrange an endplay that would snuff out one of West’s two seemingly sure trump tricks.

The plan can succeed only if West has a hand where he has to follow suit as the winners in each side suit are cashed. At the same time, South must reduce his trump length to equal West’s.

Accordingly, at trick three the ace of hearts is cashed, and a low heart is ruffed. Three rounds of clubs are taken, and the jack of hearts is ruffed. Two high spades are then cashed, ending in dummy.

Ten tricks have now been played. Dummy has the king of hearts and K-3 of diamonds, while South has the J-9-6 of diamonds and West the A-10-8.

The king of hearts is led next, and South trumps it with the jack. If West overruffs, he has no safe return. If he underruffs, he scores only his ace of trumps. West has no recourse, and his second trump trick vanishes. (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.