BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
x Q 4
u A 4 3
v Q J 10 8 6 5
w A 10
WEST EAST
x J 10 3 2 x 8 7 5
u 9 8 u K 7 6 5 2
v K 3 2 v A 7
w 9 6 4 2 w J 7 5
SOUTH
x A K 9 6
u Q J 10
v 9 4
w K Q 8 3
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1v Pass 1x Pass
2v Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Nine of u
Those wise saws about bridge that people love to quote are generalities, not meant to apply to specific hands. East-West disregarded them to defeat a sound contract.
North's first two bids meet with the approval of this department. With a full opening bid and stoppers in the other three suits, South's leap to three no trump cannot be faulted.
West decided that there was no point to leading fourth best from his longest and strongest suit since it had been bid to his right, and the weak four-card minor was not an attractive lead. Instead, West opted to try to hit partner's long suit by leading the nine of hearts. Declarer played low from dummy and it was East's chance to use logic instead of rote.
To establish hearts East would need two entries later, and so could not afford to squander one of them by playing third hand high. Instead, East signaled encouragement with the seven. Declarer won and led the nine of diamonds and West forgot all about second-hand low to protect a possible entry in partner's hand by rising with the king.
On the heart return declarer again played low from dummy. East won with the king and cleared the remaining heart stopper.
Besides finding West with the ace of diamonds, there was the possibility of dropping the J 10 of spades, so declarer cashed the queen and ace. When no honor appeared, declarer was forced to fall back on diamonds. Unfortunately, East took the ace of diamonds and two more hearts -- 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
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.