13th May 2020

A deal from a league match earlier this year.


Dealer South
S
2
   
Love All
H
Q1074
   
    D AQ3
   
    C A8642
   
S
754
    S
10
H
A98
    H
KJ653
D
K864
    D
J1042
C
J105
    C
Q7
    S
AKQJ963
   
    H
2
   
    D
97
   
    C
K93
   

South
West
North
East
1S Pass
2C Pass
3S Pass
3NT Pass
4C Pass
4D Pass
4NT Pass 5H Pass
6S Pass Pass Pass

The St Titus pair had a bidding misunderstanding here.  After South's jump rebid in a game forcing auction North intended three notrump as a discouraging noise.  South thought it showed slam interest and basically drove to slam.

If North had the queen of clubs instead of the queen of diamonds six spades would have been a good contract.  However, with North's actual hand the contract was dreadful.

West led the ace of hearts and continued with the nine covered by the ten and jack, ruffed by South.  South drew the trumps, played the ace of clubs then the queen of hearts covered by the king and ruffed.  South now crossed his fingers and took the diamond finesse and threw a club on the established seven of hearts

Better to be lucky.
.