Twelve Tricks by Foxymoron

The Trojan Horse "Twelve Tricks" was one of the first viruses on the Internet, in 1990, and gets a Wiki page of its own. It changes one word in the boot sector of a computer and this causes chaos. Just as one wrong card in the play or one wrong bid in the auction causes chaos, as we know.

Making twelve tricks on both boards 7 and 8 last week would have been a very good score, as nobody bid the reasonable slam on either.

This was the first and David Schiff played it well, but normally, in 4H on a trump lead. He finessed the diamond and then finessed the queen of clubs. That lost but he could draw the other trumps and set up the long diamonds for twelve tricks and a good score.

Should one reach slam? I wonder. After three passes, East opened a strong NT and West bid Stayman. East responded 2H and now West might bid 3S, either a splinter or a good heart raise. East can ask which with 3NT and West's 4H says it was a splinter (he cues without). East might move on and the reasonable slam would be reached.

The very next board was another potential twelve tricks:

This time West opened 1C, as he was playing a strong NT, and East responded 1H, with which I agree. Majors before minors. West rebid 1NT and this time David Schiff bid 3NT which was not the top spot. He should enquire with 2C or 2D depending on methods. The latter is usually played as game-forcing checkback. West will bid 2H showing three hearts, and now East can bid 2S showing four spades. West will raise to game and East might move on. But the right line of ruffing two clubs in East would make twelve tricks for a very good result.

So, there is no need to bid slam. As long as you make twelve tricks, the Trojan Horse will do the work for you.

Tricky slam

This fascinating hand came up at the Woodberry last night

West opens a weak 2 hearts.  How many spades do you bid as North?  I think 3S (strong jump overcall) is just right but I can understand 4S.  2S seems wrong to me as you do have a very powerful hand which a simple overcall doesn't describe but it might work well if you get another chance later.

At my table the auction went 2H-4S-5H.  Now the obvious action for me at this vulnerability is to double but it seemed likely to me that East would have a running club suit and if someone is void in spades we might not get enough compensation.  Meanwhile if partner has diamond values we could easily be making +510 vs +500 or +980 vs +800 in spades.  I decided to bid 6S which was right in theory but wrong in practice as it takes a precise series of plays to make 6S (which was doubled by East).

After a club lead you ruff, ruff a heart, ruff a club, play the queen of hearts covered and ruffed (only Jx of hearts in East gives you a chance).   Then play a trump to dummy, ten of hearts covered and ruffed and lead a diamond towards the jack.  Now you make if East has KQ(xx) of diamonds as he will have to give a ruff and discard or else lead away from their remaining royal allowing you to score the jack of diamonds.  East ducking is no better of course.  Either way you will not only have an extra trick you will also have an extra dummy entry to cash the winning heart.  

The alternative at the critical moment would be to play ace and a diamond winning if West has a stiff diamond honour but on the bidding I think the first line is indicated.

In practice my partner went one down and some declarers only made 10 tricks in spades which is hard to explain.  Sarah Bell was the only one to make 12 tricks in 5S but that was only slightly above average as others were making 4S and 5S doubled.  Doubling 5H would have been good enough for a joint top.