BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x A 4
u K 9 6 5 3
v 9 4
w K 6 3 2
WEST EAST
x Q J 9 2 x K 10 7 6 3
u 4 u Q 7
v K J 8 3 v Q 10 7 5 2
w Q J 9 7 w 8
SOUTH
x 8 5
u A J 10 8 2
v A 6
w A 10 5 4
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 2NT Pass
4u Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Queen of x
Here's a chance for you to check on your dummy-play technique. Cover the East-West hands and decide how you play four hearts after the lead of the queen of spades.
The auction is typical of modern five-card major bidding. North's two no trump is a forcing raise in hearts and South's leap to game is the principle of fast arrival, showing a minimum hand and denying possession of a singleton.
West leads the queen of spades and you have nine tricks. Should clubs divide 3-2, the fourth card in the suit will set up for the fulfilling trick. Is there anything you can do if clubs are 4-1?
You will need to develop an endplay. Suppose you win the first trick with dummy's ace, draw trumps and cash the ace of diamonds before exiting with a spade. East will win and shift to a club, and no matter how you maneuver now you will have to lose two clubs in addition to the two pointed-suit tricks -- down one.
Just a small change in your timing can land the game. Before exiting with a spade or a diamond, cash a high club! It makes no difference whether it is the king or ace. Since, after cashing their winners, another spade or a diamond allows you to ruff in one hand and discard a club from the other, suppose that the defender who wins returns a club. Simply cover and, if the other defender follows suit, clubs are 3-2 and you can score it up. If the clubs are 4-1 and the defender on lead returns a club honor, allow it to win. He will either have to continue clubs into your honor-10 tenace or concede a ruff and sluff. Either way, you lose only one trick in each side-suit.
& copy; 2005 Tribune Media Services