Utilising length
Plan the play in 5D as West, after the defenders cash two rounds of spades then switch to clubs:
WEST EAST
S 96 S 87
H 52 H AK876
D AKQJ4 D 987
C K762 C AQ5
Declarer has ten top tricks and if clubs are 3-3, the last club will come good for an eleventh trick. When the opponents have six cards in a suit, however, the most likely break is 4-2.
A better plan is to set up dummy’s hearts. The A-Q of clubs may be needed in dummy later as entries so win the club lead with the king.
It takes three rounds to draw trumps after which you cash the A-K of hearts. Everyone follows so now the contract is unbeatable. Ruff a heart, back to dummy with a club, ruff another heart (if there is still one out), back to dummy with the other club, and the last heart in dummy is a winner.
The next hand has a twist. Cover the East-West cards and plan your play in 7S after West leads a diamond.
Dealer North, EW vul.
NORTH
S AT96
H A98643
D A
C 42
WEST EAST
S 3 S —
H J H QT7
D QJT942 D K87653
C KJT97 C Q863
SOUTH
S KQJ87542
H K52
D —
C A5
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1H Pass 1S
2NT* 3S 5D 6C*
Pass 7S All pass
West’s overcall was the Unusual 2NT, showing at least 5-5 in the minors but suggesting a weakish hand. With massive shape, East bid 5D, which would only have been one light – an excellent sacrifice against North-South’s spade contract.
With the spade fit found, South’s bid of 6C was a control bid or cue bid, showing first round control in clubs and showing interest in bigger things. As the bidding was already at the 6-level, North with the other three aces could hardly do less than bump things up by one – to grand slam!
West leads the DQ, taken by the DA. What should South discard?
In clubs, there is one loser. In hearts, there will be a loser if the opposition hearts are divided unevenly, but no loser if their hearts are split 2-2 (because then all their hearts will fall under the ace and king).
Even though the club is the sure loser whereas the heart is only a possible one, it is the heart that should be discarded from hand. After discarding the H2 on the DA, declarer draws the outstanding trump then plays the HK and a heart to the ace.
Given the actual 3-1 break in hearts, it was just as well that South had discarded a small heart earlier. Now the third round of hearts could be ruffed. That established the hearts as winners so there was no difficulty in discarding the club loser – whereas the contract would have been one light if South had over-hastily discarded the club at trick one.
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