BRIDGE
North-South vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x -J 9 7
u -10 2
v -A Q 10 3
w -10 9 7 5
WEST EAST
x -6 4 3 x -5 2
u -9 7 3 u -8 6 5
v -7 6 4 v -K J 9 2
w -Q J 8 6 w -K 4 3 2
SOUTH
x -A K Q 10 8
u -A K Q J 4
v -8 5
w -A
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
2w Pass 2v Pass
2x Pass 3x Pass
4w Pass 4v Pass
7x Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Queen of w
To choose between lines, you often need to find out about the distribution. South accomplished that on this deal without endangering his contract.
South's two clubs was artificial and forcing, and two diamonds was a waiting bid. The spade bids were natural and the minor-suit four-level bids were cue-bids, showing first-round control. South could count 12 tricks and a fourth trump in North's hand would make 13 virtually laydown.
Declarer won the club opening lead in hand and saw that, if trumps were 5-0 or 4-1, he would have to rely on the diamond finesse for the fulfilling trick. If trumps were 3-2 however, the contract was cold by employing a dummy reversal.
To find out, declarer led the eight of trumps at trick two and overtook with the nine. When both opponents followed, declarer ruffed a club high and led the ten of spades to the table's jack. Had either opponent failed to follow, declarer would have relied on the diamond finesse. But when trumps were proved to be 3-2, declarer ruffed another club with his remaining trump, led the deuce of hearts to the ten and then used the jack of spades to draw the last enemy fang, discarding the diamond loser from hand.
Declarer now had eight tricks in the bag. The ace of diamonds and four winning hearts brought declarer's total to the required 13.
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X This 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.
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