BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
x -A 9 8 5
u -A K J
v -A 6 5 3
w -K 10
WEST EAST
x -Q 7 2 x -K J 4
u -8 5 2 u -10 9 7 3
v -J 8 7 2 v -Q 10 4
w -Q 7 5 w -A 4 3
SOUTH
x -10 6 3
u -Q 6 4
v -K 9
w -J 9 8 6 2
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1v Pass 1NT Pass
3NT Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Two of v
Entries are the insurance policies of many contracts. Failure to preserve them can prove disastrous.
Whether your range for an opening bid of one no trump is 15-17 or 16-18, the auction would be the same. Even if South were dead-minimum for his response, you would want to be in game.
West had a difficult opening lead to make. While leading away from a four-card holding headed by a knave is unattractive, the only alternative is to lead a top-of-nothing heart -- hardly better.
Declarer played low from dummy, East followed with the queen and declarer won with the king to lead a low club to the ten. The finesse won as East withheld the ace, but the contract died. South continued by leading the king of clubs, losing to the ace. Declarer still needed two entries to set up and run the clubs, but only one was available.
As so often happens, poor play to the first trick cost South his game. With six tricks available in the other three suits, declarer needed only three clubs to get home. South should rise with the table's ace of diamonds and lead the king of clubs from the board. It makes no difference whether East holds up or not. Declarer simply leads another club and still has two entries in hand -- the king of diamonds and queen of hearts -- to establish and cash the clubs.
& copy; 2005 Tribune Media Services