BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x Q 7 2
u 2
v K J 10 9 8
w Q 6 5 4
WEST EAST
x J 10 9 x 8 6 5 4
u K J 10 8 4 u 7 5
v Q 5 4 2 v A 7 6 3
w 8 w J 9 7
SOUTH
x A K 3
u A Q 9 6 3
v Void
w A K 10 3 2
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
2w Pass 2v Pass
2u Pass 3vPass
4w Pass 5w Pass
6w Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Jack of x
"Obvious" is not necessarily synonymous with "best". Here, the obvious line for 12 tricks at clubs is to play on hearts. But is it the right way to tackle the hand?
South's two-club opening was artificial and forcing, North's two diamonds were waiting and the rest of the auction was natural. Six clubs is an excellent contract.
West led the jack of spades and declarer was faced with two possible lines. Superficially, the one that offered the best percentage play was to combine the heart finesse with finding a 4-3 heart division if the finesse were to fail -- combined odds of about 86 percent. The other involved one of two ruffing finesses -- finding East with one of the two missing diamond honors; a 75 percent chance. However, the percentages in hearts drop dramatically without an even trump split. Because of this, before committing himself declarer must test trumps.
The opening spade lead was won in hand with the ace and two rounds of trumps were drawn with the ace and queen, ending in dummy. When West discarded a diamond on the second round of trumps, declarer abandoned the line involving the heart suit and opted on the double finesse in diamonds. He led the jack of diamonds from the table. East followed low and declarer discarded a heart from hand.
In with the queen of diamonds, West reverted to spades, declarer winning in hand. The last trump was drawn with the king, dummy was entered with the queen of spades and the king of diamonds was led for a second ruffing finesse. If East ducked, declarer would simply continue leading diamonds from the table, so East covered and South ruffed. The ace of hearts was cashed and a heart ruff on the table provided the entry for declarer to discard his two remaining hearts on dummy's good diamonds. Declarer lost only one diamond.
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