Bridge - The Scotsman 14/04/2012

Sometimes when a ruff looms the only thing to do is to roll with the punches. This deal was reported by Harry Smith in Dundee Bridge Club’s Grand Slam.

(1) Spade raise including a top honour

Partner’s 1NT bid is distinctly thin, but you have no time for criticism. North leads the seven of spades, and when you play low from dummy South produces the ace. There is a spade winner in dummy, but can you reach it? South switches to the two of diamonds, an obvious singleton. How do you play?

You can avoid a diamond ruff by rising with the ace and playing trumps from the top. Even if the queen drops you have just six heart tricks and the ace of clubs. North can cut you off from dummy’s diamonds however you play: if you lead the queen he holds off; if you lead the eight he wins the king. So you make only two diamond tricks and your contract fails. Suppose instead you go after a club ruff by winning the ace of diamonds and ducking a club. North wins, cashes the king of diamonds and gives partner a ruff – down again.

Winning the ace of diamonds cannot work, so how about inserting the queen? If North wins and gives his partner a ruff you unblock the ace, win the club return, draw trumps in two rounds (you hope), and use your diamond entry to dummy to discard all your remaining losers. If North ducks the queen of diamonds to kill the suit you can afford to duck a club, creating an entry for the heart finesse – a diamond ruff is the third and last defensive trick.

Best defence is to win and switch to a club. A low club is no good – you duck South’s honour, then ruff a club with the jack of hearts and take the heart finesse for your contract.

The king of clubs looks better, but this time you win and play the jack, forcing South to win the second round.