BRIDGE

BRIDGE
East-West vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
x -A 10 5
u -Q 10
v -J 10 5 4
w -Q 8 6 2
WESTEAST
x -J 7 4 x -Q 8 6 3
u -8 7 5 3 u -J 6 4
v -A Q 6 3 v -8 2
w -9 7 w -A J 10 5
SOUTH
x -K 9 2
u -A K 9 2
v -K 9 7
w -K 4 3
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
Pass 1NT Pass 3NT
PassPass
Opening lead: Three of v
The International Bridge Press Association award for Best Defense was awarded to Australia's Peter Gill for this defense from the New South Wales Open Team Trials, reported by Ron Klinger.
The bidding was standard. One no trump showed 15-17 points and North's 9 points with good fillers were just worth a raise to game.
West led the three of diamonds, covered by the four and ducked by East. Declarer won with the seven and led a club to the queen, and East allowed the trick to hold, following with the five!
From declarer's point of view, it seemed likely that clubs were 3-3 and that West held the ace. Unwilling to break another suit, declarer thought it a good idea to try to duck out the ace of clubs or, if that did not work, to try to set up a long club, so South continued with a low club from dummy. East produced the ten and declarer chose to duck.
This was not a great success. East continued with the ace, felling the king and cashed the jack of clubs. Gill then reverted to diamonds and the defenders had five tricks for a superb result.
& copy; 2005 Tribune Media Services Inc.