Bridge - The Scotsman 07/09/12

THIS deal, from Scotland v Kenya in the Women’s series, featured some undistinguished bridge.

Over 1C West overcalled 1H, North made a negative double, showing spades, and East jumped pre-emptively to 4H. Undeterred, South bid game. West realised South must have a long suit, but 5H looks more like an attempt to lose 500 than a sensible save. North should double 5H, but she feared that her club length might negate partner’s high cards, or that a high heart might appear in dummy. Her pass was later severely criticised by South, who deduced that she must have values in spades, hence the dubious 5S call. West could take the money by passing that, but she doubled what was in front of her nose, and doubled again when South retreated to her longer suit.

To beat the slam legitimately West must remove an entry from dummy by leading a diamond. She chose a top heart. Declarer ruffed, and drew trump in one round, then, fortunately for West, crossed to dummy with a diamond to run a spade. If she simply ducks a spade she can make her contract. The defence switches to diamonds, but declarer ruffs a heart and runs her trump to reach this position:

On the last club West and dummy discard spades, but when declarer crosses to the ace of diamonds West has to give up.