BRIDGE with Bob Jones

Today’s deal was played at rubber bridge, where overtricks are not very important.

South won the opening diamond lead with dummy’s ace and played the ace and king of spades. He cashed three rounds of hearts, ending in dummy, and ruffed a diamond. South led a spade to West, hoping that West would have to lead a club.

West, however, exited safely with his remaining heart and declarer eventually gave the defense a club trick, making five.

There was a long discussion after the hand about whether it was possible to take 12 tricks. It can be done!

South should ruff a diamond at trick two, cash the ace and king of spades, and then three rounds of hearts ending in dummy. At this point, declarer can ruff another diamond. West cannot over-ruff because dummy still has a trump remaining, and he would have had to yield a ruff-sluff or lead a club away from the king of clubs. West is forced, therefore, to discard a club in order to keep his heart as a safe exit card.

South can now lead a club to dummy’s queen for a successful finesse, and then ruff dummy’s last diamond. West has no answer to this. Should he over-ruff, he would have to choose between leading a club or yielding a ruff-sluff. A club discard instead would leave his king unprotected, and a heart discard would subject him to an endplay with the queen of spades. A lovely hand!