BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. West deals.
NORTH
x K Q 5
u Q 10 7
v A Q 7
w K 9 6 4
WEST EAST
x J 10 9 8 7 6 4 x 3
u 6 5 3 u A K 9 4 2
v 10 v 9 5 4
w 8 5 w J 10 7 3
SOUTH
x A 2
u J 8
v K J 8 6 3 2
w A Q 2
The bidding:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
3x 3NT Pass 6NT
Pass Pass Dbl 7v
Pass Pass Dbl Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: ?
When you have the opponents at your mercy, don't give them the opportunity to escape. East, on lead against six no trump, decided that 100 points was not enough to win. For an extra 100 points he elected to double, and paid a huge price for his folly.
North's three no-trump and South's raise to six no trump seem normal enough. East on lead against the no-trump slam elected to double. Unfortunately, it was obvious to South that the double had to be based on the ace-king of hearts, so he ran to seven diamonds. East's double, this time, was not on such firm footing.
West had to guess what suit to lead. The one suit that could be ruled out was spades. Even so, that left three suits and not even a coin toss could solve that dilemma. After much thought, West selected a club.
Declarer won the opening lead in hand with the ace and ran six diamond tricks and three spades, coming down to the jack of hearts and Q 2 of clubs in hand and K 9 6 of clubs in dummy. East could not hold onto three clubs and the ace of hearts. No matter what he discarded would present declarer with the 13th trick.
& copy; 2006 Tribune Media Services
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