BRIDGE JACK STOCKEN

Today’s hand sees an expert South make a sleepy bid at the end of a tournament when his side had given up all hope of winning – sound familiar?

After North’s 5 card Stayman enquiry East’s intelligent double was for the lead, as would a double of a transfer bid. South’s 3NT denied a four or five card major but on reflection, South should have passed 3♣ doubled without a club stopper.

North would then have bid 3♥ showing four cards and South would raise to 4♥. Nothing wrong with playing in a 4 – 3 major fit if 3NT is hopeless.

After the two of clubs lead from West, 3NT was quickly two down. Only one pair in the field bid to 4♥ which required careful play to make.

East led the king of clubs against 4♥ by North, followed by the queen and then switched to the jack of spades. Declarer, as North, won on dummy with the ace and drew just two rounds of trumps.

Now was the moment of truth; if declarer had drawn a third round of trumps and then played on diamonds, West would win her king of diamonds and continue clubs, forcing declarer to trump with their last trump. Declarer would end up being at least one down, as West would still have a master trump left.

Declarer surmised that she was in a very good contract and did not need the overtrick so, having drawn two rounds of trumps with the ace-king of hearts, then played the queen of diamonds which West won with the king.

Note that it was important not to play ace of diamonds and another, as a good player would hold up with Kxx of diamonds and switch to a spade, thus denying declarer an entry to the long diamonds.

West did switch to another spade but declarer won with the king, drew the last two trumps and enjoyed winning diamonds. 4♥ made, just losing two clubs and the king of diamonds.