Source: IBPA Column Service MAR 2021
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 North. Both Vul
A K 9 A K 5 A J 2 A Q J 7
Q J 6 10 7 4 3 K 10 7 K 10 4
West North East South
2 Pass 2NT1
Pass 6NT Pass Pass
Pass
  1. 8-10
West led the nine of hearts. Declarer ducked in dummy, so East took the trick with the jack and returned a low heart to dummy’s king. Declarer had 11 top tricks (12 if hearts were 3-3) and saw that the contract depended on his finding the queen of diamonds if hearts did not break. In order to do that, declarer planned to delay tackling diamonds until he had more information about the unseen hands. Declarer began this quest by cashing dummy’s ace of hearts, discovering that the suit was 4-2. Declarer continued by cashing his four club winners, forcing East to part with two diamonds while he threw a low spade from hand. After noting that the clubs had also divided four-two, declarer played the queen, king and ace of spades. This forced East to part with a third diamond, reducing his holding to the queen of hearts and two low diamonds. As East was counted as having started with a 2=4=5=2 shape and West with 5=2=2=4, declarer knew that the outstanding diamonds were now twotwo. So he cashed the ace and king of diamonds, confident in the knowledge that the queen of diamonds would fall under them. Declarer took three spades, two hearts, three diamonds and four clubs for his contract. The complete deal:
A K 9 A K 5 A J 2 A Q J 7
8 7 5 4 2 9 8 Q 5 8 6 5 2 10 3 Q J 6 2 9 8 6 4 3 9 3
Q J 6 10 7 4 3 K 10 7 K 10 4

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