BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x A 9 7 5 3
u Q 9
v A 2
w 9 8 7 2
WEST EAST
x Q 10 6 2 x K 8 4
u 6 u J 5 4 2
v Q 10 8 7 3 v 5 4
w A K 5 w Q J 10 4
SOUTH
x J
u A K 10 8 7 3
v K J 9 6
w 6 3
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 1x Pass
2u Pass 3u Pass
4u Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of w
Don't send a boy to do a man's job -- or a woman's, for that matter. South learned this to his chagrin on this deal.
With a six-card major and four-card minor, bid and rebid the major suit with a minimum opening bid. With better than minimum, bid the major first, then the four-card minor and rebid the major on the third round. South's first two bids, on this sequence, promised a six-card heart suit and a limited opening bid. North had enough to raise hearts, and South proceeded to game.
West led the king, ace and another club, declarer ruffing. Since declarer could afford to lose a trump trick, he elected to ruff diamonds in dummy. The ace and king of diamonds were cashed and a diamond was ruffed with the nine. Unfortunately, East overruffed with the jack and returned a trump, and declarer still had to lose a diamond -- down one.
Declarer had the right idea but the wrong technique. South should ruff the third diamond with the queen, cash the ace of spades, come to hand with a spade ruff and trump his remaining diamond with nine. Whether or not East overruffs, the jack of trumps will be the defenders third and last trick.
& copy; 2004 Tribune Media Services