From                   16th January, Board 24

                                          Theme                An Extra Chance

                                          Difficulty            * * *

                                          Dlr West            None Vul

West finds the best opening lead of the trump Three and Partner’s highly optimistic dummy is tabled.  You play a low Club from Dummy, East plays the Five and you win in your hand.

If the Hearts are 3-3, you can make 12 tricks by setting up the Hearts.  Just play Heart to the Ace, Heart ruff, Club to the King, Heart ruff, back to Dummy with a Diamond, and run the Hearts.

But that is too easy, can you make this hand when Hearts are not so obliging, is there an "extra chance"?

SOLUTION

How many tricks can we count without relying on long Hearts?  7 Clubs, 2 Diamonds and a Heart is only 10.  A Spade ruff is still possible if West has the A♠ and K♠ and no second Club, and if that’s the case we’ll be up to 11.  And where there is 11 there is often 12!  But, let’s also give ourselves a chance to profit from 3-3 Hearts, via this line of play:

            Win the opening Club lead in hand

            Cross to the A♥ and ruff a Heart (East plays the King on the second round)

            Exit a Spade, won by West’s King

            The A♠ is ruffed in Dummy

            Another Heart is ruffed

            The last trump is drawn (West pitching a Spade)

Let’s assume that East shows out on the third round of Hearts.  Clearly, West needs the Q♦ for his opening bid, so the Diamond finesse is doomed to failure.  But something much more enjoyable is available.  Run the trumps and watch West get squeezed in the red suits.

Yes, when the last Club is played, West will either have to pitch away the Q♥ or else will have to unguard the Q♦.  12 tricks.  Nice bid, Partner!

Keys to Success

-         Seeing the "extra chance" when Hearts are not 3-3

-         Ruffing a Heart early in case Hearts really are 3-3

-         Going after the Spade ruff in Dummy

-         Counting West’s points and realizing that he had to have the Q♦

-         Running all the Clubs to execute the red suit squeeze against West

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