Extra Chances

After his 3♣ bid – transferring to diamonds, North’s bid of 4♦ was a mild slam-try (eight-card suits tend to encourage such actions). You accept the invitation by bidding 6♦. The opening lead is the ♥K. What is your plan for bringing this slam home?

Solution

Declarer could count 11 tricks: eight in trumps plus the three aces. He saw that if East held at least one of the missing club honors, the slam would come home via a double finesse in that suit. However, declarer looked for an extra chance. He discarded the ♠J from dummy on the ♥K and won the trick in hand with the ace. Declarer ruffed a low spade, then cashed the ♦A and ♦Q. After throwing a low club on the ♠A, declarer ruffed another spade. The extra chance of the ♠K and ♠Q falling in three rounds had failed to materialize, but another one had. When declarer continued with a low club to the 9, West took this with the queen, but was endplayed – West had just hearts and clubs remaining. Hoping for the best, West continued with a low heart. Declarer discarded a club from dummy and won the trick with the ♥J: now he had his 12th trick and his contract. Note that if West had started with four spades, he would have been just as endplayed. On a spade exit, declarer would ruff in dummy and take his 12th trick with the 13th spade. The full deal: