Both vulnerable. North deals.

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xQ 4 2

uA K 8 7

vJ 10 7 6

wK 9

WEST EAST

xA K 10 8 x9 7 6

u4 2 u6 5 3

vK Q 3 v5 4 2

wQ J 3 2 w10 8 6 5

SOUTH

xJ 5 3

uQ J 10 9

vA 9 8

wA 7 4

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1u Dbl

2u Pass 4u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of x

There are deals where you can eliminate all the defenders’ safe exit cards. But that is not always possible and you have to hope that a particular defender cannot avoid the endplay because he is out of a suit and partner holds the safe exit. This deal illustrates our theme.

The auction is routine. With 12 points including two aces, South has just enough to proceed to game after North raises hearts.

West started with the king and ace of spades and continued with a third spade, taken in dummy. If East holds a diamond honor, the contract is safe. However, the auction suggests that West might hold both missing high diamonds. Declarer can engineer an endplay provided West started with no more than two trumps, but that is also probable based on the auction.

Declarer cashed the king and queen of trumps and king and ace of clubs and then ruffed a club in dummy. Leaving a trump outstanding, declarer now led a diamond to the eight and West’s queen.

Had West been able to exit with the last trump, declarer would have had to rely on a second diamond finesse. As it was, West was forced to bow the knee. He would have either to lead a diamond into declarer’s tenace or play a black card and yield a ruff-sluff.

No matter which, declarer’s remaining diamond loser would vanish.

2008 Tribune Media Services