Testing Times
By WBF In 15th World Bridge Series, Articles On 1st October 2018
Almost from the start the players in the Mixed teams had problems to solve:
Do you agree with North’s rebid? As the cards lie 3NT is unbeatable, but if West finds a diamond lead 4
should fail. West went with the 
A – her partner had a red king – but it was the wrong shape! Declarer was in control and emerged with eleven tricks.
Kudos to the four West’s who found the diamond lead that defeated 4.
3NT was in no danger and declarer took ten tricks.
3NT was a huge favourite – only 17 of the 106 pairs preferred the spade game.
North cashed the A and switched to a club. Declarer won with dummy’s ace, took the top spades pitching a club and cross-ruffed clubs and hearts.
North led the A and continued with the 5. Declarer ruffed in dummy, cashed the
A and then cross-ruffed in clubs and hearts. She cashed the A and had only to pitch the Q on the K to get home. Instead she ruffed a spade to hand and cashed the 
A; North’s discard was a bitter pill to swallow, not least because it cost 16 IMPs.
The chances of a 4-0 diamond split are 4.783%, while a 5-1 spade break is 1.211
19 pairs reached 6 – but three declarers failed to get home.
