Diamonds to Gold Deal 4
From the semifinals against a strong USA2 team, on this fourth of 4 "Diamonds to Gold" Deals from Denmark, I held:
83
AQ1086
K1083
AQ.| North | South |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2NT* |
| 3* | 3* |
| 4* | 4* |
| 5NT | 6 |
| Pass |
. Since we play A bidding system that uses 1C as a strong artificial opening Precision (most hands with 16 or more start with a strong 1 opening), I had a maximum. to say I had a maximum, and a side 4-card suit (and no singletons or voids). Thus 5-4-2-2 shape. David asked (3) and I showed that I had 4 diamonds (the second step, which was 4). He made a slam move (4) and since I had a maximum, I accepted. I bid 5NT to ask him to choose which slam (he knew my exact shape). He chose 6 and who was I to object? 83 AQ1086 K1083 AQ |
| A10 KJ74 AQ42 732 |
What do you think? The 4-4 minor instead of the 5-4 major? Indeed. We've had a history of such deals (see "My Favorite 52."). In the 4-4 fit, you can draw trump (hopefully they are 3-2). Then you can discard on the 5th heart (a spade). The club finesse is for an overtrick. Meanwhile, in hearts, you have no discard. You have to lose a spade trick and you need the club finesse for the slam. Was our luck in? This was the full deal in Denmark:
| Vul:E-W Dlr: North | 83 AQ1086 K1083 AQ | |
| Q964 953 9 K10964 | KJ752 2 J765 J85 | |
| A10 KJ74 AQ42 732 |
Good and bad news abounded. The trumps were not 3-2. But, David played the ace and when he saw the 9 fall, he crossed to dummy's K and took a marked finesse against East's J. Trumps (all 4) had to be drawn, so now the discard did no good.
Luckily (this time) the club finesse worked and we made 920 after all. Thanks to the club finesse, the inferior 6 would also have made (and cost us a couple of imps). In diamonds, the finesse was the fallback plan as opposed to the only hope. At the other table, slam wasn't reached, so our team won a nice swing on the way to the Gold medal.