Both vulnerable. East deals.

Both vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
J 10
10 7 4
K Q J 6 4
A K 5
WEST EAST
7 5 2 A Q
9 2 A K J 8 5 3
9 7 3 8 2
J 9 7 6 2 10 8 3
SOUTH
K 9 8 6 4 3
Q 6
A 10 5
Q 4
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1 1 Pass 2
Pass 2 Pass 4
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Nine of
The late Robert Darvas of Hungary was one of the great composers of bridge problems. This deal is from his book "Spotlight on Card Play," written in collaboration with his compatriot Paul Lukacs. Cover the South and West hands and decide how you would defend four spades after the lead of the nine of hearts.
With the best hand at the table, North decided to hope that his secondary spade honors were enough for game. With routine defense they would have been.
East can see the fast winners. Since it is obvious that West cannot have a winner on power, the only hope for the defense is to promote a second trump winner. Win the opening heart lead and continue with the ace and jack of hearts, forcing declarer to ruff with the eight, which holds as West discards a club. South crosses to dummy with the king of clubs and leads the jack of spades. What now?
If you rise with the ace of spades to lead another heart, declarer ruffs low and dummy's ten of trumps prevents West from overruffing, and declarer has a variety of ways to get home. You must cover with the queen of trumps. Declarer wins with the king and continues with a trump to the ten, but you win with the ace to lead a fourth heart and, whether declarer ruffs high or low, your partner's seven becomes the setting trick. Beautiful.
& copy; 2006 Tribune Media Services
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