Bridge - The Scotsman 08/03/13

BRIDGE in the clubs has made remarkable technological advances.

At the end of play we expect hand records with double dummy analysis of makeable contacts. Deep Finesse does not always reflect what is humanly possible, but it is interesting to see what can be achieved. This deal from a club pairs is truly remarkable in that one side can make game, and the other can make 6NT!

West has a difficult bid over 1C, because the normal two-suited overcalls, Michaels and the Unusual No-trump, do not provide for the spade-diamond two-suiter. It looks reasonable to overcall 1D, hoping to bid spades later, but when partner passes and the auction returns to him at 3H the vulnerability acts as a deterrent. 4H just makes – West may lead ace and another diamond for East to ruff, then ruff a club with the king of hearts, but now declarer can draw trump with a finesse and make the rest. Deep Finesse prefers to avoid ruffs in 6NT: he drops the king of hearts, and then picks up the jack. (This is the only way to make 6NT when West fails to turn up with HKJ doubleton, but fortunately no-one was tested in the play.)

Some Souths opened a strong no-trump, allowing West to bid 2S, spades and a minor. North doubled to show values, East made a distributional raise, and West landed in 3S doubled. The defenders forced him to ruff, but the diamonds broke kindly and with trump 2-2 there were ten tricks for +930