BRIDGE JACK STOCKEN

Today’s hand comes from a simultaneous pairs competition where often you receive a hand commentary after the event.

Despite the adverse vulnerability East came in with 3♠, over which South bid 4♠. In their methods this showed a hand too good to bid a simple 5♦.

One can hardly criticise West for doubling, but it had the effect of making things easier for North South. North passed, expressing interest in slam, and South redoubled, showing first round control of spades, after which North had no hesitation in going on to slam.

Declarer ruffed the spade lead, drew trumps ending in dummy and ruffed dummy’s remaining spade. He led the ten of hearts, tempting a cover from West if he held the jack. Despite West’s fractional hesitation, declarer wasn’t tempted to let it run and went up with the ace.

Declarer cashed the queen of hearts and played a third round. When East produced the jack, one of dummy’s clubs could be discarded on the long heart so twelve tricks made in comfort.

Hardly anyone bid the slam,

+920 being worth 97.5 per cent of the match points. The commentary says that 6♦ has about a 75 per cent chance. This is calculated as follows. Hearts may come in, the suit breaking 3-3 or the jack dropping in two rounds, about a 52 per cent chance. Failing that the king of clubs could be onside, at least a 50 per cent chance, given East’s vulnerable overcall. These combine to give more than a 75 per cent chance.

However, declarer had spotted an extra chance, had he needed it. If his last heart turned out to be a loser he would ruff it in dummy, before cashing the ace of clubs and then leading towards his queen.

Even if this lost to the king of clubs, West might not have a third club and would then be end-played to give a ruff and discard. This would have been exactly the position had West started with Jxxx of hearts and one fewer club. Always be on the lookout for that extra chance.