Think clearly, make a plan and execute it

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It seems that the Bridge Club Christmas party was another huge success with great food, entertainment and an exciting bridge game that was won by Delmont Simmons.

The only turkey moment was, it seems, a no-turkey moment when the last two tables arrived at the buffet and found that there was … no turkey left! Rumour has it that the head of a local catering company is under questioning by the authorities and that his sentence may well be to spend Christmas Day locked in at the Bridge Club where he will be served Christmas lunch … with no turkey . OK, I’ll stop now !!

Today’s hand has ‘instructional’ written all over it! It is mainly a declarer play problem but also has some interesting bidding points.

Board 3. E/W Vul. Dealer South

S-AQ1092

H-6

D-AKJ

C-AK87

S-KJ876

H-AQ

D-1098

C-Q65

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1S

Pass 4NT Pass 5H

Pass 5NT Pass 6D

Pass 7S

Once South opened his 12-pointer, and I think most would, there was absolutely no stopping North and it is hard to blame him 21 points and AQxxx in trump support opposite an opening hand is heady stuff! North checked with Roman Key Card Blackwood, found out partner had two key cards out of the five (four aces and the trump king), then checked for kings and despite hearing that partner had no kings, he bid the spade grand slam. Now all South had to do was make it!!

Declarer has 12 top tricks — five spades, a heart, a heart ruff, two diamonds, and three clubs and is on the lookout for the 13th. There are many possibilities for the 13th trick clubs breaking 3-3, the diamond finesse or the heart finesse.

West led a trump and declarer won, drew the last trump card and cashed 3 rounds of clubs and when they didn’t break ruffed the fourth club to reach this position.

S-AQ1

H-6

D-AKJ

C-none

S-KJ

H-AQ

D-1098

C-none

Declarer can now either take the diamond finesse and claim if that works, or take the heart finesse and if that works throw away a losing diamond on the heart Ace which to do first? Well, neither! There is yet another chance for declarer dropping the diamond queen not a great chance but it comes for free and so, with every intention of eventually taking the heart finesse, declarer first cashes the Ace and King of diamonds.

The full hand:

S-AQ109

H-6

D-AKJ

C-AK87

S-53 S-4

H-KJ987 H-10543

D-65432 D-Q7

C-3 C-J10942

S-KJ876

H-AQ

D-1098

C-Q65

Declarer’s extra chance, in fact the least likely of the three, paid off spectacularly and the making grand slam deservedly captured all the match points on the deal. All it took was some clear thinking, a step by step plan, and then execution not that difficult!

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