In the ACBL Spring Championships Daily Bulletin, a contributor working under deadline pressure called the effort by today’s declarer flawless. Let’s see what we can see at leisure.
In a pairs event, North-South’s auction was gadget-filled. South’s 2NT showed 25 or more points. When he tried for slam with 4NT, North might well have gone on.
South wanted two overtricks. He won the first diamond with the 10 and tried a spade to his queen. West won and led another diamond, and declarer ran the suit. East threw spades, so South didn’t try a second spade finesse: He took the ace.
East had room for six cards and had to save four hearts, hence only two clubs. South then cashed three hearts, and West, who had to keep the jack of spades to beat dummy’s 10, also came down to two clubs. So South took the A-K . . . and eight. Making six.
South’s fine play was not quite flawless. After he led a spade at Trick Two, best defense would hold him to 11 tricks. When West took the king, he could effectively shift to clubs. (Textbook defense against a double squeeze is to attack the “double menace”: the suit both defenders guard.)
To make 6NT at double dummy, South cashes five diamonds and three hearts, pitching a club. West must save all his spades — else South could get a second spade trick — so only two clubs. Then South takes the A-K of clubs and leads a low spade at Trick 11 to end-play West.