The ability to visualize the possible end position in a
hand is one of the traits that separate a great player from an average
player. Here is a hand that requires that kind of foresight at
trick one.
Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)
Hand #31
Dlr
E
Vul
E/W
AQ65
KQ62
K4
AK10
J1082
9754
Q1052
5
74
108
986
QJ9642
K93
AJ3
AJ73
873
West
North
East
South
Pass
1
Pass
1
Pass
1NT
Pass
6NT
Pass
Pass
Pass
BIDDING: After South
rebid 1NT, this became a simple math problem for North. His 21
high card
points opposite his partner's 12-14 made the raise to 6NT easy.
PLAY: West led the jack
of spades and declarer stopped to analyze the hand. He could
count eleven tricks: 3 spades, 4 hearts, 2 diamonds, and 2 clubs.
A
twelfth trick would result from a successful
diamond finesse for the missing queen or a 3-3 spade break.
Looking even deeper he saw that if the diamond finesse lost and the
spades were not 3-3, he could make the hand if the same opponent held
the long diamond and the long spade. Next he examined his entries
and realized he had to make sure he could get back to his hand after
cashing his winners. Accordingly, he won the first spade in
dummy. Now he led the king and another diamond with the jack
losing to the queen. West exited with a heart and declarer
proceeded to cash his winners. After the ace of diamonds and four
hearts (discarding a club from his hand), he cashed the top
clubs. Here was the ending when the club king was played:
S-A65 C-K
S-1082
immaterial
D-10
S-K9 D-7 C-8
West could not protect three spades and the high diamond so he had to
concede the slam to South. Please note the importance of winning
the first trick in dummy. It's no good to hold threat cards in a
squeeze position if you can't get to them.
