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Just believe?

As you thank partner for their dummy, the most important thing (well the second most important matter is thank partner as though you mean it!) is that you give yourself the best possible chance of making your contract, no matter how unlikely that might seem.

I can remember seeing declarer reach a contract which had an approximate 1% chance of success, maybe less. They failed to play for that 1% chance and therefore failed in their unbeatable contract!

So, South might feel that they started the chain of bids which propelled them to slam. All the more reason , then,  to try and make 12 tricks!

 

 

It was that double fit in diamonds and spades which was the catalyst that propelled North into bidding the slam. A 4 cue by South was too aggressive and that was all North needed to check for key-cards, find all present even if Q was missing and try for 12 tricks.

West led Q. What’s to be done?

We can see that finding the Q and the Q without loss are essential. With “mirror hands” (no discards available), it looks like there are big problems in the club suit too. Have you developed your plan yet, the low percentage chance of bringing this slam home?

It does not really matter where you win trick 1. Say you take A in hand. So, you may as well start with the trump suit and you play a spade to the ace (don’t you just love “two-way finesses”!)  and when you play 10, East kindly obliges with Q.

What you do next may not feel right but is essential. Eventually you are going to hope one defender has K doubleton and give them the lead when they rather do not want it!

 

What a slim chance that is but you cannot take advantage of that situation unless you cash A before that defender realises what they have to do.

So, after two rounds of spades, play a club to the ace and then come to hand with a third round of trumps. As it happens, West could not discard the K even if they wanted to. Had you played A later, then they just might throw it under A.

So, after drawing trumps, play K and a second diamond and if your luck is still in, you will finesse and play a third round of diamonds but not a fourth round as West might start to realise what is about to happen. You play K from dummy and then lead a club and say a big prayer. It does not matter whether East plays a club honour because West will win the trick and be forced to lead a third round of hearts.

Ruff and discard time. Contract made. Now, what a lovely feeling that would be if you brought this contract home. The phrase “never in doubt” might be somewhat extreme and even though West could have defeated the slam by playing K on the first round, it was still well played.
1%? Maybe a little more, maybe not. When your luck is in, do take advantage of it.

Richard Solomon

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