No Aces

Playing computer bridge over the Internet at matchpoint duplicate, partner deals and I pick up a good hand without any aces:

---

K93

KQJ1073

K1083. Partner opens 1

, RHO overcalls 1

(surprise) and I have an easy 2

bid. LHO raises spades and partner raises me. The opponents are done, and I have to find a good way to investigate slam. We are playing a 12-14 notrump opener, so partner ought to have either some shape or 15+ HCP. I think it is safe to venture beyond 3NT. My choice is 4

, a splinter bid, hoping that partner, with all the right cards, can bid a slam. He bids 5

, which is forward-going, so I bid 5

, confirming the void and showing a heart control. He bids 6

. I don't know enough to bid the grand, although I feel pretty confident that it will make, so I pass. Partner puts down lots of aces, but not much else:

	10942 AJ6 A94 AQ5

	--- K93 KQJ1073 K1083

North	East	South	West
1	1	2	2
3	Pass	4	Pass
5	Pass	5	Pass
6	Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads the

Q, and I pause to take stock. I have eleven tricks off the top, and a possible 12th in either clubs or hearts or maybe a squeeze. If trumps are 2-2, I can ruff a club and take a heart finesse for the overtrick.

I think there is a better line of play, however, than to draw trumps and take the heart finesse. If suits are breaking reasonably, I can make 12 tricks on a dummy reversal. All I need is 4-2 clubs, 3-1 trumps, and nothing really awful. I think that must be the best line for the contract, and it probably does not give up too much chance of an overtrick.

I ruff the first trick and cash a high trump. Good, both follow. A second trump to dummy (East pitching a spade) is followed by a spade ruff. Club to dummy and another spade ruff. Another club to dummy (phew) holds, and I ruff the last spade in my hand with my last trump. On the second club, East dropped the Jack, so I cross to the A, draw the last trump and claim all the tricks. If it had not dropped, I would have cashed the K first, then crossed to the A and cashed the last trump. If East had the Q and four clubs (pretty likely) he would have been squeezed for an overtrick.