Bridge - The Scotsman 04/10/12

A typical Pairs auction from the Northern Ireland Congress. East declined a 300 penalty from 4S to pursue the game bonus. But could he make 11 tricks?

Declarer has six hearts, one spade and two diamonds. He might play to ruff two diamonds in dummy, but this is risky. After ace, king and a diamond ruff should he now play for hearts to break 2-2, and ruff the fourth diamond with the king? He might ruff a spade and lead the fourth diamond, hoping that it is North who holds four diamonds, and he can safely ruff low. When South follows to the fourth diamond declarer ruffs high, but now South makes a trick with the jack of hearts.

A better alternative to a crossruff is to establish a side suit, here clubs. Declarer wins the spade lead and plays a club to the queen. South returns a spade, ruffed, and declarer plays his second club to the king. South exits with a diamond, and declarer now needs two trump entries to dummy, one to ruff the clubs good, and one to cash them. He cashes the ace of hearts, noting North’s ten, and now comes the key decision. If hearts are 2-2 he can play a heart to the king and the nine will provide the second entry. If North has a singleton trump he must finesse the nine, ruff a club with the queen, and return to the king, drawing the last trump. North’s light opener, and Restricted Choice, both suggest that the 3-1 distribution is more likely.