Thirty Three

There is no doubt that in the heat of battle an improving bridge player needs guidelines to clutch hold of. To that end I have devised a useful Rule that relates to each number up to twenty. Next week I will begin with The Rule of One.

After South opened 1 NT showing 12-14 points, North used The Rule of Thirty-Three to go straight to 6 NT. The Rule does not say that the contract will always be made however, and it took South's finest technique.

West led ♠ J and declarer won dummy's ♠ K and played a second ♠ to his ♠ Q, observing East discard ♥ 10. If this was a true signal, it indicated that East held ♥ K, dooming the normal ♥ finesse. Declarer then cashed ♦ A, ♦ J, crossed to ♦ Q and cashed ♦ K, discarding ♥ 2 from his hand. He cashed dummy's ♣ AK and crossed to his ♣ Q, West discarding. After cashing ♠ A, East discarding ♥ 8, everybody was left with three cards. Dummy held ♥ AQ6, declarer held ♠ 3, ♥ 3 and ♣ 8, and East was known to hold ♣ J and two ♥s. Can you see what declarer led?

At trick eleven declarer exited with his losing ♣. East won ♣ J but was forced to lead away from ♥ K9 into dummy's ♥ AQ.

RULE OF THIRTY-THREE: If you know that 33 points are held by the partnership, bid for 12 tricks - a Small Slam.