BRIDGE



Both vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
x 9 4 2
u K 10 5
v K Q J 10 6
w A 2
WEST EAST
x Q 7 x K J 10 8 5
u A 3 u 6 4
v 8 7 5 2 v A 9 4
w 10 9 6 4 3 w Q 8 5
SOUTH
x A 6 3
u Q J 9 8 7 2
v 3
w K J 7
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1x 2u Pass 4u
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Queen of x
How many winning tricks you have is good to know. But don't forget to count your losers as well.
Note North's raise to four hearts rather than first bidding diamonds. In response to an overcall, a new suit is not forcing. Not only that, but if the new suit is a minor after partner's major-suit overcall, it tends to deny support for partner's major.
West led the queen of spades, overtaken with the king in case it was a singleton. Once the two red aces are forced out, you have 11 tricks -- five hearts, four diamonds and the two black aces. However, you have four fast losers, and your first task is to try to take care of at least one of them. That can be done, but at a cost.
The only possible parking place for one of the spade losers is in clubs. To accomplish that, you have to risk the club finesse, and go down two tricks instead of one if it loses, but that's a small price to pay for the contract.
Win the ace of spades at trick one, cash the ace of clubs and continue with a club to the jack. When that wins, cash the king of clubs for a spade discard and force out the ace of hearts, and you can't be stopped from scoring up your game.
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

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