North-South vulnerable. South deals.

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xJ 10 9

uQ 10 6 4

v4

wK Q J 10 7

WEST EAST

xA 6 3 2 x7 4

uJ 2 uK 5 3

vA K 5 3 2 vJ 9 8 6

w6 3 w9 8 5 2

SOUTH

xK Q 8 5

uA 9 8 7

vQ 10 7

wA 4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 2w Pass

2u Pass 4u Pass

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of v

Cover the East and South hands and decide: How would you defend against four hearts after your king of diamonds wins the first trick, partner following with the six?

The auction is simple enough. After partner’s Stayman inquiry uncovers the heart fit, North has more than enough to contract for four hearts.

You lead the king of diamonds and partner follows with a discouraging six. You can see 21 points in your hand and dummy and, if you give declarer a minimum 15, the most help you can expect from partner is a major-suit king. If it is the king of spades, you have three fast tricks and you must hope for a ruff for the setting trick, so you can shift to a spade, win the spade return and hope partner can ruff the third spade. But what if partner has the king of hearts?

If you defend as above, you might still be able to defeat the contract if either you or partner can win the second round of hearts.

Declarer wins the spade and let’s suppose he plays ace and another heart. Partner wins, returns a spade to your ace and gets his ruff. What if declarer wins the spade in dummy and leads the queen of hearts? Partner covers and you can win the second heart and give partner a ruff to beat the contract.

2008 Tribune Media Services