Neither vulnerable. North deals.

Neither vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xA K 8 4

uA J 4 3 2

vQ J 9 7

wVoid

WEST EAST

xJ 7 x9 6 5 3 2

u6 5 u9 8 7

vA 10 8 6 vVoid

wA 9 7 4 3 wQ J 8 6 2

SOUTH

xQ 10

uK Q 10

vK 5 4 3 2

wK 10 5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Pass 2v Pass

4w Pass 4u Pass

4x Pass 5v Pass

6v Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: ?

This deal was played at New York’s renowned Cavendish Club, now a part of bridge lore. It was dealt at high-stakes rubber bridge. Looking at only the auction and the West hand, can you find the one lead, which, to all practical purposes, seals declarer’s fate?

North’s jump to four clubs was a splinter bid, promising a diamond fit and shortness in clubs. When North later rejected an opportunity to ask for aces in favor of a cue-bid, then contracted for slam when South signed off, it was obvious that he void in clubs. Have you selected your opening lead?

Chances of winning a trick in a side suit are slight. Therefore, you need to take two trump tricks to defeat the contract. If the nine of trumps is in the South hand, that will be no problem. But what if North holds that card?

Your best chance is to shorten dummy’s trump holding before declarer becomes aware of the bad trump break, so you must attack with clubs. But leading the ace won’t do unless partner has the king. Declarer will ruff in dummy and lead the queen of trumps, exposing the position. You win with the ace (holding up does not help) and persist with a second club. Declarer wins with the king, finesses the nine of diamonds and cashes the jack. He gets back to hand with the queen of spades to draw the last trump and claims the rest of the tricks.

Suppose your opening lead is a low club. Since you are not playing with glass cards, declarer will ruff and lead the queen of diamonds. Now you win with the ace and lead the ace of clubs, forcing dummy to ruff again, and you cannot be stopped from scoring a second trump trick — down one!

May the new year bring to you and yours all those good things you wish for yourself and others!

2009 Tribune Media Services