BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable. West deals.
NORTH
x A
u 9 4
v K 10 7 5 2
w K Q 10 6 5
WEST EAST
x 5 2 x K 10 9 7 3
u A K 10 8 6 5 3 u Q J
v Q J v A 9 8 3
w 8 4 w A J
SOUTH
x Q J 8 6 4
u 7 2
v 6 4
w 9 7 3 2
The bidding:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
3u Pass 4u Pass
Pass 4NT Pass 5w
Pass Pass Dbl Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of u
This deal is from the Danish Mixed Pairs Championship. Our question is: How many trump tricks did East-West collect?
The auction was reasonable up to the point where North had to decide what to do over four hearts. The unusual no trump would have been more understandable if the ace of spades would have been the ace of diamonds! To sacrifice at the five-level without first-round control asks for trouble, and it duly arrived!
West led the king of hearts and East dropped the queen, showing either a singleton or the jack as well. West shifted to the queen of diamonds, covered by the king and won by the ace, and a diamond was returned to the jack. West exited with a low heart to the jack, and East reverted to a diamond. Declarer ruffed with the nine, which held.
South led a trump to the king and ace, and East returned another diamond. Declarer ruffed with the seven, West overruffed and played another heart. Whether or not declarer ruffed in dummy, East's jack was promoted to the third trump trick for the defense.
Be honest with us: Did you see that North-South would have to lose three club tricks!
Send e-mail to gorenbridge@aol.com.
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