Creating an extra trick.
Bridge Column for April 5, 2002, Harvey Bernstein
Neither side vulnerable.  North deals.
                              North
                              S: 4 3 2          
                              H: A 10 9 8    
                              D: A K         
                              C: K 7 6 4 
            West                             East
            S: J 10 9 7 6 5                  S: A K Q        
            H: 7 3 2                         H: Q J 5 4    
            D: 9 3                           D: 6 2               
            C: J 9                           C: Q 10 8 2    
                              South                         
                              S: 8    
                              H: K 6        
                              D: Q J 10 8 7 5 4
                              C: A 5 3    
          The Bidding:  
                  North    East    South    West                  
                   1C     Double    1D       2S 
                   3H       4S      5D      Pass
                   6D      Pass     Pass    Pass
     Thanks to Gene Gordon of Pepper Pike for this hand from a
local duplicate game.  Gordon held the South cards and found
himself in a situation that we all must face from time to time -
his contract required that he take twelve tricks to be
successful, but he could only see eleven.
     The auction was not remarkable.  West's two spade bid
indicated a long suit and a weak hand.  When South bid five
diamonds on his own, missing the ace and king, North felt obliged
to raise to six.  West started the play off by leading the jack
of spades.
     East won the first trick with the queen and continued with
the king.  Gordon trumped and played a diamond to the ace.  It
was at this point in the play that he had to decide how he was
going to attempt to create his twelfth trick.  With a long trump
suit, it appeared that a squeeze could place enough pressure on
the defenders to be succesful.  If, however, the outstanding
clubs were three-three, then West would be able to guard clubs
while East guarded hearts.  
     As we can see, that wasn't the case and if Gordon plays six
rounds of diamonds, East will not be able to guard both hearts
and clubs, allowing the slam to make.
     There was another alternative available.  The heart spots in
the North hand were good enough to force an additional winner if
East held both the queen-jack.  With that in mind, Gordon led the
eight of hearts at trick three.  If East played low, his
intention was to duck this trick.  East split his honors and
Gordon won the king.  He led another diamond to the dummy,
drawing the outstanding trumps, and continued with the ace of
hearts and the ten.  If East covered the ten, Gordon would trump
and re-enter dummy with a club to enjoy the established nine of
hearts.  When East played low, Gordon discarded a low club and
claimed his small slam.
     In order to improve your game, you should be on the lookout
for situations like the one shown today.  Even if you have only
bid five diamonds, you should try to make an overtrick so long as
the effort does not put your contract in jeopardy.
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.