East-West vulnerable. East deals.
East-West vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
Void
J 10 9 4
A 9 7 2
A Q 8 6 3
WEST EAST
K Q 9 2 A 8 6 5 4
Q 6 5 K 3
5 3 K Q J 4
9 5 4 2 J 7
SOUTH
J 10 7 3
A 8 7 2
10 8 6
K 10
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1 Pass 2 Dbl
Pass 3 3 4
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Five of
There was just one way for declarer to land his contract of four hearts. A count of the hand made it a double-dummy line.
The auction was simple enough. South's three-heart bid in response to the takeout double by agreement showed values and North elected to bid on over three spades.
West attacked with the five of diamonds, declarer ducked in dummy and East's jack won the trick. East found the best defense, shifting to the king of hearts.
Declarer rose with the ace and continued with a low heart to the queen, and West returned a heart.
To get home, declarer needed to bring in the club suit. The bidding and play marked East with five spades, two hearts and probably four diamonds, hence only two clubs.
For South to run the clubs, he needed to find East with precisely the jack and a single guard.
The solution was simple. Declarer led a low club from dummy and finessed the ten!
When that held, declarer cashed the king, returned to dummy with a spade ruff and ran the clubs.
In all, declarer won two trump tricks, a diamond, two ruffs (a diamond in hand and a spade on the table) and five clubs.
& copy; 2007 Tribune Media Services
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