BRIDGE

It can be done

Andrew Robson

FREAK HANDS usually only occur in goulash deals (or in the minds of creative journalists seeking to sensationalise) but South's hand actually occurred at the table — in the 1998 British Gold Cup semi- finals. Only one North-South pair reached the Grand Slam in 4s and that declarer failed to make his contract. Yet 7+ is makeable — can you see how?

Dealer West Neither Side Vulnerable 4 A Q 10 6 3

✓ A 6 • 8 5 3 # A K 6

4 7 2

♦ Q J 9 8 5 4 • 10 # J 4

South West 3, 6* pass pass pass

3 2

4 -- V - 4 A # 10 The 4 K J 9 8 V K 10 7

• J # Q 7 3 7 6 4 2 2

East pass pass

5 4

N

W E

North 34 74

K Q 9 9 8 5 Bidding

Declarer has 12 top tricks but it is not easy to see how he can manufacture a 13th. At the table declarer attempted to establish 4s and, when that proved fruit- less, took a double 4 finesse by running 410 and hoping that West held both 4Q and +J. No good.

The best line on V0 lead is as follows. Win VA, discarding 42, and trump 43 with4Q. Cash 4A, drawing the two miss- ing trumps, and lead 42 to 43 in order to cash 4A discarding 45 and trump 46. West discards, so an extra 4 winner cannot be established. Instead declarer starts reel- ing off his trumps. As he leads his penulti- mate trump dummy has 4Q10 and 4AK6 and East has 41(1 and 4AK6 and East has 41CJ and 4073. Dummy's 46 is discarded and East is 'trump squeezed'. He cannot discard 4J or declarer will cross to 4K, trump 410 bringing down 4K, return to 4A and cash 40. But discarding 43 works no better. Declarer now cashes 4AK, trumps 410, and enjoys 410 at trick 13.