BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
x K J 9 3
u A 3
v A 9 7
w K 10 4 3
WEST EAST
x Q 10 x 6 5
u 10 9 8 7 u K Q J 4 2
v J 10 5 v K Q 4
w A 7 5 2 w J 8 6
SOUTH
x A 8 7 4 2
u 6 5
v 8 6 3 2
w Q 9
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1u Pass 2u Dbl
Pass 3x Pass 4x
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Ten of u
If there is only one chance to make the contract, assume that the lie of the cards is favorable, no matter how slight that possibility is. This deal is a classic example.
South's decision to jump to three spades in response to the takeout double is justified aggression. South correctly judged that the queen of clubs was likely to be working. In addition. the fifth spade plus ruffing values in hearts and clubs were definite assets. With his sound takeout double, North had no problem raising to game.
West led the ten of hearts and, when dummy came down, declarer was not thrilled with his prospects. In addition to finding the queen of trumps, he was looking at four potential losers: one in clubs, one in hearts and two in diamonds. Declarer had to find a way to get rid of two diamonds from hand to make the contract.
The opening lead was taken with the ace in dummy, and a spade to the ace and a spade back solved the trump position when the queen fell. After careful study, declarer found a distribution that would permit two diamond discards from hand on the table's clubs.
To accomplish this, declarer had to find East with exactly three clubs headed by the jack. South was halfway home when he led a club from the table and, when East followed with the six, the nine fetched the ace. The nine of hearts was cashed and declarer shot up with dummy's ace on the switch to the jack of diamonds and to lead a club to the queen. A trump to the jack provided the entry to cash the king of clubs. When that fetched the knave, all was well. Two diamonds were discarded from the closed hand on the K 10 of clubs, and declarer lost just one trick in each suit except trumps.
Note that, had West held the black knave, declarer would be set an extra trick. However, the potential gain far exceeded the risk involved -- always a good deal.
& copy;2003 Tribune Media Services