BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
x 10 8 3
u A K 5 4
v A K Q 6
w J 6
WEST EAST
x K J 6 4 x A 7 2
u Q 8 6 u 9 3
v 10 8 2 v J 9 7 5
w 9 7 3 w K 10 4 2
SOUTH
x Q 9 5
u J 10 7 2
v 4 3
w A Q 8 5
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1v Pass 1u Pass
3u Pass 4u Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Four of x
The bidding and play to the first few tricks are most revealing. This deal is no exception.
With two suits unstopped, North could not open one no trump. However, he was able to show the strength of his hand by jump-raising South's one heart response, and South's game bid closed the auction.
West led the fourth-best spade to East's ace, and a spade return netted the defenders the first three tricks. But where was the setting trick coming from? Obviously not diamonds, and if East held the ace of clubs that trick was not going away. Similarly, if East held the king-queen of clubs declarer would be saddled with a losing club no matter what.
What if declarer held the ace-queen of clubs, very likely on the auction? In that case, the setting trick would have to come from a trump promotion. That would succeed if East held any trump higher than the seven. Suiting the thought to the deed, West led the 13th spade and East ruffed with the nine, declarer overruffing with the 10, but West could not be denied a trump trick as long as he took care to cover any trump declarer led from the closed hand. Down one.
XThis column is written by Tannah Hirsch and Omar Sharif. For information about Charles Goren's newsletter for bridge players, call (800) 788-1225 or write Goren Bridge Letter, P.O. Box 4410, Chicago, Ill. 60680
& copy;2004, Tribune Media Services