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What would you say now? The opponents have an
easy game available their way in one or both of the major suits. If you
pass, or bid 4D, they are like to find this game. How many tricks will
partner make in 5D? Somewhere around 8-9 tricks Awards: 5D - 10, 3NT - 8, 4D - 7, Pass -4. — Knight Features |
THE
auction was not particularly impressive but the slam reached was
excellent, so who can argue? South would really like to rebid in
notrumps, so that the lead would run up to his red-suit tenaces. Had
North made a second negative response of 2NT over 2S, South would have
had to raise to 3NT and the contract would than have been in the wrong
hand. So much for the bidding. How would you play 6S on a trump lead?
There are eleven top tricks and an obvious chance for a twelfth is to
lead towards the king of hearts. Two strategies are possible. You can
cross to the spade queen and lead a heart to the king immediately.
Occasionally West will duck when he holds the ace. (He may place you
with K-Q or K-Q-10 and hope to convince you that East holds the ace). A
better idea is to cash the three top clubs, then play the kind and ace
of diamonds, trying to drop the queen. If this fails, throw your last
diamond on the club jack, then lead towards the king of hearts. That
line will work on the layout shown.
is the best guess. It is
worth investing such a penalty to make life difficult for the opponents.
Since they hold so few diamonds, they may well play the hand their way
rather then leaving in a double.