Patrick’s Point

The following possibility was spotted by Patrick Jourdain.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª - © Q 10 8 2 ¨ K 8 7 5 3 § K J 8 7
ª 7 6 5 4 © K J 7 6 4 ¨ 2 § A 5 3		ª A 8 3 2 © 9 5 3 ¨ 10 6 4 § 10 9 2
	ª K Q J 10 9 © A ¨ A Q J 9 § Q 6 4

On this deal from Round 21 of the Open series, (R15 for the Women) the contract at several tables was Six Diamonds, but it failed far more times than it was made, probably because declarer took a ruffing finesse in spades.

At one table West cashed the ace of clubs and then switched to a heart, and declarer got home on a cross ruff. It was suggested that a trump switch would defeat the contract, but that is not necessarily true. Declarer wins in hand, ruffs a spade, comes to hand with the ace of hearts, ruffs a spade, comes to hand with a club, ruffs a spade, ruffs a heart, ruffs a spade, cashes the king of clubs to reach this position:

	ª - © Q 10 ¨ - § J
ª - © K J 7 ¨ - § -		ª - © 5 ¨ 10 6 § -
	ª 9 © - ¨ A Q § -

Now declarer needs to guess the distribution, but if he plays the jack of clubs and discards the nine of spades when East does not ruff he will make the contract.

Did anyone play this way?