Source: IBPA Column Service APR. 2020
Tim Bourke
Tim Bourke
**Source: wikipedia. Tim Bourke “is an Australian bridge player and writer. His joint project with Justin Corfield “the Art of Declarer Play” won the International Bridge Press Book of the Year award in 2014. IMPs Dealer South. Both Vul
A J 7 3 2 9 5 K 6 4 A 7 5
K 10 8 6 4 A Q 3 A 2 K Q 3
West North East South
1
Pass 2NT1 Pass 3NT2
Pass 4 Pass 4NT3
Pass 54 Pass 6
Pass Pass Pass
  1. Forcing-to-game-spade raise
  2. Extra values, no shortage
  3. RKCB
  4. 2 key cards with the queen of spades
Reasoning that his fifth spade was as good as the queen opposite a five-card-major opening, North’s five-spade bid propelled the partnership into slam. West led the queen of diamonds. Declarer took this in hand with the ace and, without any apparent thought, cashed the king of trumps. When West showed out, declarer bemoaned his luck at having a sure trump loser. He then played a trump to dummy’s ace and followed by taking the heart finesse. West won with the king of hearts and declarer could only make 11 tricks. “That was unlucky,” opined South. “The trumps were 3-0 and the king of hearts was offside. What is the chance of that happening?” North responded, “I would say you murdered the contract, but that requires malice aforethought. You clearly weren’t thinking!” North continued, “If spades were 2-1, it wouldn’t matter how you managed the trump suit. Twelve tricks would be guaranteed. Consequently, you should have turned your attention to coping with a 3-0 break. A low trump to the ace at trick two would have ensured the contract. As the cards lie, you would have made 12 tricks easily.” “If it had been West who had had the three missing trumps, you would have continued with a trump to the king, followed by a diamond to the king and a diamond ruff. Then, after cashing your three club winners, you would have exited with a trump. West would have been on lead and either would have had to lead a heart or else give you a ruff-sluff. Either way, you would have had 12 tricks.” The complete deal:
A J 10 3 2 9 5 K 6 4 A 7 5
— K J 6 4 Q J 10 8 5 J 9 4 2 Q 9 5 10 8 7 2 9 7 3 10 8 6
K 10 8 6 4 A Q 3 A 2 K Q 3

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