Contract Bridge

This deal occurred in a team-of-four championship. Both declarers got to six spades, but only one of them made the slam.

West led the ten of clubs at each table. The first declarer pinned all his hopes on a straightforward diamond finesse. He won the club lead, drew trump, then played the king and another diamond, finessing the nine.

Had the finesse succeeded, the slam would have been home. But East won the trick with the queen and returned a club, and South later lost two heart tricks to finish down two.

The second declarer also took a diamond finesse, but he made the slam because he found a play that greatly improved his chances.

After winning the club lead, he also drew trump. But then, instead of cashing the king of diamonds, he led the seven of diamonds and finessed the nine, hoping to lose the trick! Had this in fact occurred, South would have made the slam easily by later overtaking the king of diamonds with the ace.

But East allowed the nine of diamonds to win the trick! He realized that winning dummy’s nine with the queen would hand South the contract regardless of who had the king.

Despite East’s fine play, South made the contract. After the diamond nine held, he led the jack of hearts, losing to West’s king. South won the club return, overtook the king of diamonds with the ace and led a heart to the nine to make the slam.

Declarer’s method of play at the second table was clearly better than the one chosen at the first table. His approach would make the slam whenever East had the queen of diamonds and took it; whenever West had the queen and East had one or both of the missing heart honors; and whenever East or West started with the doubleton Q-x of diamonds. Only bad luck could have defeated the slam the way he played it.