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Twelve Card Fit

by Richard Pavlicek

North picked up a splendid hand and was contemplating how to show it. When partner opened 2 , he almost fell out of his chair!

The impulsive reaction would be to launch into Blackwood, but they played the key-card variety, so a one-key answer would leave North guessing. Usually it makes no difference, but here it was crucial to know whether partner held the A or K. Therefore, North proceeded slowly, and a neat solution unfolded.

South deals A K 8 West North East South
E-W vul Q J 10 4 3 2 2
A Pass 2 NT Pass 3 ¹
K Q 10 Pass 3 ² Pass 4
10 9 5 3 Table Q 7 6 Pass 4 NT³ Pass 5 ⁴
K — Pass 6 All Pass
J 9 7 5 4 2 K 10 8 6
9 8 A J 7 6 4 2 1. 6 hearts, minimum
J 4 2 2. natural force
A 9 8 7 6 5 3. KCB for spades
Q 3 4. 1 or 4
6 South 5 3

Three spades was forcing, and when South fortuitously raised, North was able to use key-card Blackwood for spades. When South showed one, it had to be an ace, so the heart slam was a good bet. If South instead held K-9-8-7-6-5, a hopeless slam would be avoided.

Getting there was one thing, but South still had to make it. West led the 9 to the king-ace, and East returned a diamond. Declarer did not need the Rabbi’s Rule to drop the K then won the A, crossed in trumps and ruffed the Q. Reading West’s lead as shortness, declarer cashed A-K (Vienna coup) then ran trumps to squeeze East. Note that if East ducked the first club, declarer could succeed on a strip squeeze.

If West had led any other suit to start, declarer probably would fail, as he would have no clue to the club lie after a club to the king wins (an expert East would duck in tempo).

Observe that if the above slam were played in notrump, it would be hopeless with any lead. Of course, only a lunatic would play in notrump with a 12-card fit. Whether that rules me out is arguable, but for this month it brings us to the puzzle:

Construct a deal with a 12-card heart fit where South can make 6 NT but not 6 .

Further, to eliminate trivial solutions, 6 must not be defeated by an opening-lead ruff, or ace and a ruff. Ties will be broken by the strongest N-S hands, judged first by total HCP then by total pip count (A=14 K=13 Q=12 J=11 …).

6 South (or)
6 NT South

Table East will get what remains

8R87 rpbridge.net Main Top Twelve Card Fit

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8R87 rpbridge.net Main Top Twelve Card Fit

South deals	A K 8		West	`North`	East	`South`
E-W vul	Q J 10 4 3 2					2
	A		Pass	2 NT	Pass	3 ¹
	K Q 10		Pass	3 ²	Pass	4
10 9 5 3		Q 7 6	Pass	4 NT³	Pass	5 ⁴
K		—	Pass	6	All Pass
J 9 7 5 4 2		K 10 8 6
9 8		A J 7 6 4 2	1. 6 hearts, minimum
	J 4 2		2. natural force
	A 9 8 7 6 5		3. KCB for spades
	Q 3		4. 1 or 4
6 South	5 3