This hand was played at a local duplicate game. The bidding is fairly easy to understand. South's five club call is a cue- bid showing first round control of that suit and showing slam interest. North cooperates by bidding five diamonds, showing first round control of that suit.
East's double of five diamonds is "lead directing". Partner may have a problem selecting an opening lead and East is saying that a diamond lead will be productive, at least from his viewpoint.
Many players, holding the South cards, would have a tendency to shy away from slam after the lead directing double. South is looking at three small diamonds and there is little to suggest that a slam can be made after a diamond lead. When I observed this hand, South decided to bud the slam in spite of the anticipated diamond lead.
West led the ten of diamonds and South called for the ace. A spade was played to the ace and a second round of trump was drawn with the king. The ace of clubs was followed by the three of clubs to the king. The queen of clubs provided a diamond discard, but West trumped this trick with the ten of spades and led a diamond to East's jack.
East continued with the king of diamonds which South trumped. The ace of hearts was played, followed by a small heart, trumped in the dummy. Declarer called for the ten of clubs which was covered by the jack and trumped in hand. With no entry back to the good nine of clubs, declarer had to concede a diamond loser for down two.
At first glance, I thought that the diamond lead had been responsible for the defeat of this contract, because it removes what appears to be a vital entry from the North hand. Looking further, it appears that the contract should always be made. Declarer should win the ace of diamonds and then play the singleton heart to the ace and then trump a heart in dummy.
A club to the ace provides the entry to allow declarer to
trump another heart. North's last spade is led and overtaken by
the closed hand. Two more top spades removes the outstanding
trump and the king and queen of clubs become the slam fulfilling
tricks. When the jack of clubs doesn't fall, declarer must
concede one trick to the opposition. In all, declarer will win
the ace of hearts, the ace of diamonds, three top clubs, and
seven spades, five in hand and two more from the dummy, trumping
hearts.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.