NEW C ANADIAN B RIDGE

Thursday, April 15, 2021

South won the king of clubs, cashed the ace and queen of diamonds and led the six to dummy's ten. A heart was continued to the jack but West scored the queen to return the nine of clubs. There was now no chance of a twelfth trick and the slam finished down one.

Declarer would bring home the slam when West exits with either a spade or a heart. South wins, unblocks the ace of spades, if West had returned a heart, and runs the diamonds. He continues with a heart to hand and plays off the 13th heart squeezing East in the black suits. East has been reduced to the king of spades and the queen-ten of clubs.

If he lets go of the ten of clubs, South will play a club to the ace but South's queen of spades will be promoted when he elects to throw the king of spades.

The auction was not a good one and landed N-S in a poor contract.

North was the culprit, in my opinion, since he should rebid two clubs revealing at least 5-4 in the minors rather than offer a heart raise with such feeble support. This action would cause South to drive to a diamond slam which is unbeatable.

Author: Dave Willis - visit his website at www.insidebridge.ca

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