Today's deal is from a match-point event that had twenty tables. At four tables, the NS pairs reached the ambitious contract of 6S but misplayed it to go down. See if you can find the play?
Contract: 6S by south. West leads the D10, none or two above. Plan the play.
Bidding explanation: North's 2C response indicated 12+points and was forcing to game. That he didn't have them is a different matter. Though the jump to 4S is a fast arrival, suggesting a dead-minimum for the two over one with no control in the fourth suit, south had enough to bid the slam.
How the play went: Declarers won the lead with the DJ, drew trumps, and cashed C A-K. East showed out on the second club and the roof came down crashing on them. Result: +200 to EW.
How would you have played it?
Analysis: Whenever you bid a slam in a match-point event, the first thing you should do is try and guess whether the others would also bid it. If you are certain they would, you should adopt normal percentage line in the play. If you are sure they won't, you should adopt safety play to ensure the contract.
In this deal, you were fortunate to reach the slam. However, most players in the north seat are likely to respond 1S which south would raise to game, ending the auction.
So, it is better that you try and ensure the contract and not bother about the over trick.
Correct play: After winning the DJ, cash S A-K. When both defenders follow to the trumps, cash CA, and duck the club when west plays the jack to the next trick! Win the likely diamond return, enter dummy by a trump, ruff a club, and claim. The complete hands are:
Discussion: Though 1S would have been a better bid with the north hand, the actual bid chosen at the table proved to be the winning bid, for it enabled NS to reach the marvellous slam which most others failed to bid.
There were two key plays: The first one was playing just two rounds of trumps before starting the clubs. You would have noticed that only after giving up a club, the third trump was played to dummy's queen. This served as entry to establish the club suit as well as for removing the lurking trump. The second was ducking a club after cashing the ace for protecting the king from being ruffed.
Those who went down in the slam, lost to those who bid only four. It only goes to show that unless you are absolutely certain, it doesn't pay to chase slams in match-points.
Safety play is essential here because it is unlikely that others in your direction will reach the slam. Very rare occasion you make a safety play in a match-point event!
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