Here is a curious hand, the likes of which you’ve probably never seen. It was not actually dealt, but was composed by Bruce Bell, well-known New Zealand expert.

It seems that declarer must ultimately lose a heart and a club to go down one, but careful play brings the slam home.

South ruffs the opening spade lead with the six and returns the deuce of hearts, finessing dummy’s five after West follows low. Declarer next ruffs the nine of spades, cashes the king of diamonds, continues with the queen to dummy’s ace and ruffs a third spade.

Now a club to dummy’s king and another spade ruff are followed by a club to dummy’s ace and the fifth and final spade ruff. As a result of these maneuvers, this is now the position, with the lead in the South hand:

North

[H] A

[C] 9 3

West East

[H] K 4 [D] J 9

[C] 6 [C] Q

South

[H] Q J

[C] 8

Declarer exits with the eight of clubs, won by East with the queen, and East is forced to return a diamond. South ruffs with the jack, and West’s apparently certain trump trick is trapped whether he elects to overruff or underruff.

Note that declarer must arrange to trump all five of dummy’s spades in order to achieve the position where he can obliterate West’s seemingly certain trump trick. Smother plays, of which this is an example, are so rare that they’re practically nonexistent, but they’re great fun — even if only on paper.

Tomorrow: Reducing the luck factor.

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