BRIDGE

No chance

Andrew Robson

`The Only Chance' was the title of a bridge book by Eric Jannersten. In it were a col- lection of truly dreadful contracts which, owing to a miraculous layout of the cards, were all makeable using correct technique.

In the real world, however, things go rather differently.

Dealer South East-West vulnerable 4A K V 10 6 5 3 • 9 8 7 6 5 3 • K • J 9 8753 VQJ 84

• K 10 4 4

4642

9 • J 2 • A J 109732 N W E 4Q 10 V A K 7

2

• A Q 4

(2 8 6 5

The Bidding

South West North East 11, 4NT pass pass

4• 5* pass pass 61P pass pass pass Frisky bidding by Emma Hyde (North) and Peter Stocken resulted in the appalling slam being reached. West led 47 — following the sound principle of leading from length when holding four trumps. Declarer won 4A and played for 'the only chance'. He cashed WA and 11K, crossed to 4A and played a • to his 4Q.

Had the VQJ been doubleton and the • s split 2-2 with East holding •K, the contract would have actually made. But this was not a hand from a book. West won •Q with •K, cashed 1PQ and VJ, drawing all the trumps, and ran his 4s. As he played his last 4, East held 4AJ and • J and discarded 4..1. Declarer was down to 4■A and 408. He was squeezed! In order to keep a guard for 40, he discard- ed •A. West cashed *10 and led his 4 for East to win the last trick with 4A.

Declarer had gone eight down in a freely bid slam. He was the first to point out that when WA failed to bring down an honour he should have abandoned any chance of making the contract and moved into loss limitation mode.