BRIDGE
Change of plan
Andrew Robson
DICEY Grand Slam ventures are rarely profitable, especially in a four-three trump fit. This week's declarer, Goli Radji, did not panic. She approached her challenge coolly and logically. In the end she made her contract in the most unexpected way.
Dealer North North-South vulnerable The Bidding
South West North East
2+ pass 3+ pass 34 pass 411 pass 4NT pass 5• pass pass 711 pass pass West led 48 against 7V. Assuming Vs break no worse than 4-2, there are 11 top tricks. Should declarer draw trumps and rely on a 3-3 4 break? Goli preferred to rely on a 3-3 trump break, in which case she could afford to trump a 4 in dummy and succeed when 4s divided 4-2.
She won •A at trick one, as her three los- ing •s could be discarded on dummy's 4s. She cashed VK and VQ and played 4A, a to her king and led a low 4 to establish the suit with a 4-2 break. West discarded a • and she ruffed in dummy. She followed by cashing the three top 4s, discarding her threes. Her original plan at this point was to trump a •, lead VA hoping for the two remaining trumps to fall, and play +Q and her established fifth 4.
On dummy's top 4s, however, the ten and Jack both appeared from East. Declarer could play the master 49 from dummy. If East trumped, declarer could overtrump, draw V10 with her VA and play her two 4 winners. So East discarded, declarer throw- ing her established low 4. She now played 48, East discarding again and declarer throwing 40. At trick 12, with the lead in dummy, declarer held VA9 and East V10 8. East surrendered!
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