Archives of all back
issues of all daily
columns are available
with Bridgetoday.com
membership (which
also includes 12
issues of Bridge
Today Magazine,
100 archive issues
of Bridge Today
Digest Online, and
one Bridge Today
University course).

Click here for
further details

MANY NEW BOOKS NOW IN STORE

Click book to go to store or Click here to view the whole collection

Unless there are very bad breaks, the slam is safe. Since this is matchpoints, however, the overtrick is worth quite a lot. It looks like you can ruff two clubs in dummy with low trumps. You might then ruff a third club with the king of trump and hope that the jack of diamonds falls singleton or doubleton. For this line to work, you'll also need to return to your hand three times safely in the majors.

When the hand was played in a recent tournament, there were many 920's on the traveling score, but only one 940, a cold top. Nevertheless, scoring 940 is really a simple task. Finesse the club at trick two. What do you have to lose? Whether it wins or loses, you will then ruff two clubs in dummy with small trumps, losing only if East has a small doubleton club. But if you try to ruff all three clubs in dummy, you'll also fail when East has a small doubleton club.

Basically, it boils down to this: Is the club finesse working or is the jack of diamonds dropping? It's close but probably the finesse through the overcaller is the better (and simpler) line of play.

Have a nice weekend!