Both vulnerable. North deals.

Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
K 5 3
9 4 3 2
K J 9 3
K 10
WEST EAST
A 8 7 6 4 Q 10 2
K A 7
10 Q 8 7 6 5
8 7 5 4 3 2 Q J 9
SOUTH
J 9
Q J 10 8 6 5
A 4 2
A 6
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
Pass Pass 2 Pass
2NT Pass 3NT Pass
4 Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Ace of
Even the most experienced pairs sometimes have to invent a bid to describe a particular hand. This deal cropped up in the semifinal round of the trials to select the U.S. team.
Sitting North-South were former New Jersey stars David Berkowitz and Larry Cohen, now residents of Boca Raton. After South's weak two-heart opening bid, North's two no trump asked South to bid the plain suit in which he held a feature. For a weak two-bidder to hold two aces is most unusual, and Cohen tried to describe his hand by raising to three no trump, a bid not in their system of responses. Berkowitz did well to correct to four hearts.
South's problems would have been largely solved had West elected to lead the 10 of diamonds, but West chose to cash the ace of spades and then shifted to a club. South won in hand with the ace, cashed the kings of clubs and spades and ruffed the spade in hand. With the black suits stripped from both hands, South exited with a trump and did not mind which defender won. Since neither could afford to return a black suit and give South a ruff-sluff, the defender would have to open diamonds and, at worst, the fate of the contract would rest on winning one of two finesses in diamonds. Whichever course the defender took, declarer would lose only two heart tricks and a spade.
& copy;2006, Tribune Media Services
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