East-West vulnerable. East deals.

East-West vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
-Q 8 4
-Q 10 2
-K 9 5 2
-Q 7 4
WEST EAST
-J 10 3 -A 7 5 2
-8 6 4 3 -7
-J 6 3 -A Q 10 8 4
-A 8 2 -K 9 6
SOUTH
-K 9 6
-A K J 9 5
-7
-J 10 5 3
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1 1 Pass 2
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Jack of
This deal, played at the recent Spring North American Championships held in Dallas, must be a strong candidate for the International Bridge Press Association's annual award for best defense. Sitting West was Gunnar Hallberg, a Swede now residing in England.
The auction was simple enough. After South's one-heart overcall of East's one-diamond opening bid, West's balanced 6 points did not warrant any action. North's two hearts ended the auction.
Hallberg got the defense off on a winning line when he made the unusual choice of the jack of diamonds as his opening lead. The idea was two-fold: If it held the trick, West could decide whether or not to continue with diamonds or to try to find a more promising lead; secondly, if diamond strength was in dummy, it might start a promising attack.
When declarer allowed the jack to hold, West continued the suit to the five and eight, declarer ruffing. South elected to try to set up side-suit tricks before drawing trumps and exited with a low club. West found the best defense -- he shot up with ace of clubs to lead his remaining diamond to the nine and queen, forcing declarer to ruff again. Trump control had now passed to the defense.
Declarer continued with a club to the queen and king. East won and continued with the ace of diamonds, forcing declarer to ruff once more as West discarded his remaining club. South now turned his attention to spades, leading the six to the ten, queen and ace. East returned a spade to the king and, when South tried to sneak a trick by leading the ten of clubs, West would have none of it. He ruffed and cashed the jack of spades for the setting trick.
With either a low diamond lead or if West does not ruff the ten of clubs, declarer can get home. Try it.
& copy;2005 Tribune Media Services
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