Two slams that should have made


1.    OKB     IMP's     Week 32     Board 53  

On this hand I was dummy, and I watched with gritted teeth as pard went down.
Can you do better?


Dlr: South
Vul: Both 		S- A63
H- 2
D- K3
C- AJ109654
 
S- T8
H- 84
D- QJ86542
C- K2
   S- J54
H- AJ9653
D- 7
C- Q87
  S- KQ972
H- KQ107
D- A109
C- 3
  

Contract - 6 S- ;     Lead - H-8

How would you have played it?

 This was the bidding:     (board rotated)

    West

    3 D-
    Pass
    Pass
    Pass

    		North

    4 D-*
    4 S-
    5 H-
    Pass

    		East

    Pass
    Pass
    Dbl
    Pass

    		South
    1 S-
    4 H-
    4 NT
    6 S-


Declarer received the lead of the H-8. The ace won, and the D-7 came back, 9, J, K. Now the club ace was cashed, followed by a club ruff. Declarer pitched a diamond on the top heart, and ruffed a diamond.

Trumps were finally drawn, but declarer had to surrender a heart for -100 and -5.26 IMP's.




2.    OKB     IMP's     Week 44     Board 633  

I was a kibitzer when this hand occured.


Dlr: South
Vul: E-W 		S- 874
H- AQ2
D- AQ98
C- AQ7
 
S- T2
H- KJ106543
D- 63
C- 42
   S- Q95
H- 87
D- J75
C- KJ853
  S- AKJ63
H- 9
D- K1042
C- 1096
  

Contract - 6 S- ;     Lead - H-J


How would you have played it?

You take over from trick 4.

 This was the bidding:     (board rotated)
    West

    Pass
    Dbl
    Pass
    		North

    4 NT
    6 S-

    		East

    Pass
    Pass

    		South
    1 S-
    5 H-
    Pass

This declarer inserted the heart queen, and promptly played ace, king of trumps followed by a third trump. A heart came back.

Then he said a silent prayer that the club finesse must be on.

Prayer not answered. -1, -50. I have no IMP score to report, since this was the first time this hand was played.

Notwithstanding the fact that the trump finesse could be taken, declarer should still make the slam, even after the two top trumps were played!!





Solution 1

Dlr: South
Vul: Both 		S- A63
H- 2
D- K3
C- AJ109654
 
S- T8
H- 84
D- QJ86542
C- K2
   S- J54
H- AJ9653
D- 7
C- Q87
  S- KQ972
H- KQ107
D- A109
C- 3
  

Contract - 6 S- ;     Lead - H-8

Assumptions to be made:

Trumps and Clubs are both 3-2. The slam cannot be made otherwise.

A heart was led, and the ace won. The diamond seven was returned.

Win with the ace, play a club to the ace, and ruff a club. Draw trumps with the king, queen, and a third to the ace. Ruff a club.

Dummy is high! And the diamond king is your entry.

+1430.





Solution 2

Dlr: South
Vul: E-W 		S- 874
H- AQ2
D- AQ98
C- AQ7
 
S- T2
H- KJ106543
D- 63
C- 42
   S- Q95
H- 87
D- J75
C- KJ853
  S- AKJ63
H- 9
D- K1042
C- 1096
  

Contract - 6 S- ;     Lead - H-J
  • T1: HJ,   Q,  8,   9
  • T2: S4,  5,   K,   2
  • T3: SA,   10,   7,   9

    No spade queen ? No matter...

    Play a diamond to the ace, and cash the heart ace (discarding a club from hand) and ruff the last heart.

    Now play a diamond to the queen. You have taken a precaution against East holding D-Jxxx. Both follow. Carry on with the diamonds.

    Whenever East ruffs, he will be endplayed - forced to return a club into the ace-queen holding. Should he hold out, why, play a trump after the diamonds yourself!!

    Only if the spade queen is with West is the club finesse necessary.

    +980.







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