Saturday, April 22, 2006
Both vulnerable. West deals.
NORTH
10 8 5 2
Q 8 3
A K
K 10 9 3
WEST EAST
K 6 4 3
A K 10 7 5 4 J 9 2
6 3 J 8 4 2
Q 5 4 A 8 6 2
SOUTH
A Q J 9 7
6
Q 10 9 7 5
J 7
The bidding:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1 Pass 1NT 2
Pass 4 Pass Pass
Pass
Opening lead: King of
Have you noticed how often experts make winning guesses? Have you considered that perhaps it is not a matter of guesswork?
We are not impressed by East's decision to respond one no trump to West's one-heart opening bid. With reasonable three-card support and a ruffing value in spades, a raise to two hearts is far superior, but we doubt that that would have made any difference to the final contract.
West led the king of hearts as East followed with the deuce, then shifted to a low club at trick two. South gazed skyward, as if imploring a higher authority for assistance, then called for dummy's king. His majesty was immediately executed by East's ace and, since declarer still had to lose another club and the king of spades, the result was down one.
"What should I have done, partner," whined South. "After all, West opened the bidding."
"Play better," retorted North. All we can add is that there was ample justification for North's point of view.
If East holds the king of spades, the contract is safe -- declarer cannot lose more than one heart and two club tricks. So let's give West the missing spade honor, thereby giving South a sure second loser. Now declarer must hold his club loser to one.
West is marked with the ace-king of hearts and, presumably, the king of spades, so the only missing cards of any significance are the ace and queen of clubs. If the ace is with West, East can have at most 4 points and might not have responded, so declarer should have played low from dummy and the contract comes sailing in.
This 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; 2006, Tribune Media Services
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