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Counting to 12! 

Although North got to bid diamonds first naturally, it was South who became declarer in the ambitious 6D contract below.

 

1 was a transfer response to North’s 2+ club opening, showing 4+ hearts. After North reversed (2), South supported diamonds and after a Key Card enquiry, South showing 2 and no Q, they soon found themselves in slam.

West led 10. How would you go about making 12 tricks?

No pair bid and made 6. Indeed, some had difficulty even making 5. Yet, on a non-trump lead, 12 tricks are fairly easy to achieve, assuming normal breaks and indeed there were. It is a good time for doing what we should always try to do at trick 1, see from where our required number of tricks are coming.

 

South could try to ruff their heart suit good, discarding two spades on the high clubs and losing just a spade. Yet, there is a much better way which really only relies on East having at least 3 hearts, the cross-ruff. South can count the major suit aces and two top clubs. That leaves making 8 trump tricks to come to the magical number!

That is quite possible as long as South realises that they can ruff four hearts in dummy but only three clubs in their own hand. So, after winning A, they should cash K, throwing spades not hearts, and then cash A before starting the cross-ruff with a heart to the ace and a heart ruff. Eventually, South will ruff their fifth heart with the lone A at trick 11 leaving two losing spades in the North hand, though declarer will make the K at trick 13 to make their contract.

The only time when this line fails is when East has just two hearts (or less!) and can overruff 4 on the third round.

The alternative line of setting up hearts is certainly no good after a trump lead and requires ruffing three hearts in the North hand, too tall an ask. On the trump lead, there are only a maximum 7 trump tricks available which along with four top side-suit tricks, leaves declarer a trick short. If clubs broke 4-4, that trick could come from a long club. Alternatively, declarer could make 6 trump tricks, 3 spades, AK and A.  

As you can see, the club suit does break badly, but there is some good news in the spade suit. After the trump lead, won in the North hand, declarer ruffs a low club and plays a spade to J, losing to K. East continues trumps won in the South hand.

Now a second spade brings some unexpected good news. A wins and a second club is ruffed with declarer’s last trump. South must be careful and play a spade to 9 (hoping the last trump is with East), draw trump in dummy and take the last 4 tricks with AK,A and 10 (or the 13th club had clubs broken 4-4). Phew!

It is much easier on a non-trump lead!

Richard Solomon

 

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