BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xK J 7 3

uA K

vA K 3

wQ 8 6 4

WEST EAST

xQ 10 5 x9 6 4 2

u5 uQ 8 6 4 2

vQ J 10 9 2 v8 6

wK J 10 5 w9 3

SOUTH

xA 8

uJ 10 9 7 3

v7 5 4

wA 7 2

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

2NT Pass 3v Dbl

Rdbl Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of v

The problem is not learning a complicated system — it is remembering it! This deal is from a major European event.

South’s three diamonds was a transfer to hearts and North’s redouble, by partnership agreement, denied three hearts while showing two of the three top diamond honors. It is not clear whether South’s pass of the redouble was because he forgot their methods and missed an easy three no trump or he elected to roll the dice in a moment of spring madness!

The opening lead of the queen of diamonds was won with the king, and declarer tried to cash the ace and king of hearts. West ruffed the king and continued with the jack of diamonds to the ace.

Declarer came to hand with the ace of spades and continued with a spade to the jack, which held. The king of spades was cashed for a club discard from hand and the last spade was ruffed with the seven and overruffed with the nine. West drew the remaining trumps for the defenders’ third trick and reducing the deal to this position, with West on lead:

x —

u —

v —

wQ 8 6 4

x — x —

u — uQ 8

v — v —

wK J 10 5 w9 3

x —

uJ 10

v —

wA 7

West led a low club, won by dummy’s queen. A club to the ace provided the entry to the closed hand to lead the jack of hearts. East won with the queen, but was forced to return a heart and declarer’s ten became the fulfilling trick. Plus 640!

Take another look at the diagram. If West leads the king of clubs, it removes the entry to South’s hand before a heart trick has been established, and the defenders must come to two more tricks no matter how declarer proceeds.

2013 Tribune Media Services