Both vulnerable. South deals.

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
A Q 10 8
Q 10 7 4 3
5 4
5 3
WEST EAST
K 7 6 5 4 Void
A 9 2 J 8 5
Q 9 8 6 7 2
10 K Q J 9 8 7 6 4
SOUTH
J 9 3 2
K 6
A K J 10 3
A 2
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1 Pass 1 3
3 Pass 4 Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Four of
Trump Coup Tommy's losing streak at the club was so long he was seriously considering retirement. As our readers know, Tommy was a very ordinary player except in one case -- when trumps broke badly. Then he became a master of the pasteboards, as this deal, which ended his dry spell, proves.
Give Tommy a couple of aces and kings and there is no way to shut him out of the bidding. Few players would have the temerity to introduce such a ratty spade suit at the three-level, but there was no curbing Tommy and a shaky game was the result.
To prevent a possible crossruff, West chose to lead a trump. Tommy inserted dummy's ten and East's club discard was a boon to Tommy. Gone was the tentative player of earlier deals; in his place was the maestro of the bad break.
A diamond to the ten lost to the queen and West returned the ten of clubs. Tommy won with the ace, cashed the ace and king of diamonds, discarding dummy's losing club, and a low heart was led to the queen. When that held, Tommy returned a heart to the king, losing to the ace.
Whether West returned a heart or a trump, Tommy's only other loser would be the king of trumps. Suppose West returned a heart. Tommy would ruff in hand and lead winning diamonds until West ruffed. If West ruffed with the king, it would be allowed to hold. If West ruffed low, dummy would overruff, Tommy would ruff the last heart with his nine and make the rest except for the king of clubs. Try it.
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
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