BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x -Void
u -K J 7
v -A K Q 10 7 4 3
w -8 6 5
WEST EAST
x -Q 8 7 4 3 2 x -10 6
u -9 8 u -10 6 3
v -5 v -J 9 8 6 2
w -K Q 10 9 w -4 3 2
SOUTH
x -A K J 9 5
u -A Q 5 4 2
v -Void
w -A J 7
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1x Pass 3v Pass
3u Pass 4v Pass
4NT Pass 6NT Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Queen of w
Just a thought occasioned by this deal: When there are three freak hands at the table, the fourth hand is, more often than not, balanced. That might help in the play, and it had some relevance here.
The North hand barely qualifies for a jump shift because of its self-sufficient suit and a probable outside entry. After showing both major suits around North's jump in diamonds, South's four no trump was natural, not ace-asking. With a hand that should make anything from six to nine tricks, North's raise to slam was a reasonable shot.
West led the queen of clubs, a card asking partner to unblock the jack if he held it. East's deuce showed an odd number of cards and declarer wisely won with the ace. Declarer crossed to dummy with the jack of hearts and cashed the ace and king of diamonds, learning of the bad break as he discarded a spade and a club from hand.
There was some light at the end of the tunnel. If East really had a balanced holding, West might have trouble holding on to both black suits. The remaining high diamond was taken, South letting go another spade. Then came four more heart tricks, giving declarer nine tricks. South was down to A K J of spades and J of clubs, and West had to take a discard from Q 8 7 of spades and K 10 of clubs.
West had to throw in the towel. If the defender parted with a club, declarer would exit with a club and force West to lead into the spade tenace; if West sluffed a spade, declarer would cash the high spades, felling the queen and the knave would be the fulfilling trick. Either way, declarer had brought home the bacon.
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