BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
x K J 8 7
u 5 3
vJ 10 6 3 2
w K 4
WEST EAST
x 6 4 x 9 5
u ? 9 6 4 2 u ? 7
v? 8 v? 7 5 4
w J 9 6 3 w A Q 10 5 2
SOUTH
x A Q 10 3 2
u K J 10 8
vA Q
w 8 7
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
Pass Pass 1x Pass
2x Pass 3u Pass
4x Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Three of w
Here's another example of assumption. How would you play four spades after the defenders bank two club tricks and East shifts to a low heart. And why?
After North raised his third-seat opening bid, South's hand was worth some sort of game try. Three hearts had the advantage that, with only three spades and four hearts, North might accept by bidding four hearts.
West led the three of clubs, declarer played low from dummy and East's queen won. The defender continued by cashing the ace of clubs and then shifted to the seven of hearts. What now?
You have already lost two tricks and you have at least one heart loser. Even if you guess hearts right, you will need the diamond finesse for your contract, so you must assume that East holds that card. Now what do you know about the hand?
East, a passed hand, has already shown up with six points in clubs and you are placing him with three more for the king of diamonds. If he has the ace of hearts as well, he would have a good 13 points and would certainly have opened the bidding. You have just one hope -- East must hold the queen of hearts and therefore you must finesse. If the ten fetches the ace of hearts, your contract now depends only on a winning diamond finesse. You deserve to have it succeed.
& copy;2006 Tribune Media Services