North-South vulnerable. East deals.

North-South vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
J 7 6 4
8 7 4
Q 7 6 2
A 4
WEST EAST
8 K 10 3
K Q J 10 9 3 2 5
10 A J 4
J 9 8 5 K Q 10 6 3 2
SOUTH
A Q 9 5 2
A 6
K 9 8 5 3
7
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1 1 4 4
Dbl Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of
Father and son partnerships are not a rare occurrence in top-flight bridge. Sitting North-South on this deal from the Vanderbilt Knockout team championship were Justin Lall and his father Hemant, from Dallas.
West's pre-emptive jump to four hearts had a distinct disadvantage here -- his partner was more in the dark about the holding than his opponents. With the club fit not revealed, doubling four spades was more attractive with the East hand than bidding on -- five clubs would have been defeated only one trick.
Not that four spades doubled was a gimme. However, the senior Lall played as if he could see all the cards. He won the opening heart lead with the ace, led a club to dummy's ace and exited with a spade to his queen, which held. Next came the king of diamonds from hand.
East allowed declarer to hold this trick, and declarer continued with a diamond. East scored his two diamond tricks and exited with a club, Declarer ruffed, cashed the ace of spades and tucked East in with his master trump. Down to nothing but clubs, East was forced to concede a ruff-sluff. Declarer's heart loser vanished and the doubled contract rolled home.
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. Send e-mail to gorenbridge@aol.com.
& copy; 2006, Tribune Media Services
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