Scotland the Brave

By Patrick Jourdain (Wales)

With no team from Wales here, I support the country I have represented in the past (Scotland) and the country of my birth, England. In Round 5 Scotland drew with the current World and European champions, Italy. This deal was a major contribution to the Scottish cause.

Board 7. All Vul. Dealer South.
	ª 10 2 © 10 5 4 3 ¨ 7 § A K J 9 8 3
ª A K 7 5 © K Q 7 6 2 ¨ K 8 4 3 § -		ª Q 3 © 9 8 ¨ A Q J 10 6 § Q 6 5 2
	ª J 9 8 6 4 © A J ¨ 9 5 2 § 10 7 4

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Wilkinson	Furio	Gaffin	Stelio
-	-	-	Pass
1©	2§	2¨	Pass
3§	Pass	3¨	Pass
4NT(i)	Pass	5§(ii)	Pass
6¨	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

(i) Roman Keycard
(ii) 1 or 4 key cards

Six Diamonds is an excellent slam but, without the use of Exclusion Blackwood, Alex Wilkinson had to make the reasonable assumption that his partner’s key card was a red ace, and that the trump suit was good enough to stand up on its own.

If South leads a trump at trick one, and another when in with the ace of hearts, declarer can ruff only two clubs. One club will go on the third spade, but the last has to go on a heart.

However, Stelio Di Bello chose to lead a spade. Declarer, Ronald Gaffin, won in hand, ruffed a club and led a top heart from dummy. South won and led a second spade. North was not able to ruff, but one late entry to the fifth heart had gone.

Declarer can succeed by drawing trumps and guessing to take a ruffing finesse in hearts against North’s ten (he makes three tricks in each major and six trump tricks). However, Gaffin’s crossruff line was safer. As South was sure to have another spade, he began with a top spade from dummy. North ruffed and declarer over-ruffed. A club ruff was followed by a spade ruffed with declarer’s small trump. Now the hearts were being ruffed with high trumps, and North was known to be following suit to the club ruffs, so declarer was home.

Declarer made only three tricks in the major suits, but all nine of his trumps for +1540 to Scotland.

At the other table the auction began the same way, but over Three Diamonds West simply signed off in game. Scotland had gained 14 IMPs.