Both vulnerable. West deals.


July 2, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

Both vulnerable. West deals.

NORTH

x10 8 5

uA 6 3 2

vK 10

wJ 5 3 2

WEST EAST

x7 6 3 2 x4

uQ 5 4 uK J 10 9

vA 4 vJ 8 7 5

wA K 10 8 wQ 7 6 4

SOUTH

xA K Q J 9

u8 7

vQ 9 6 3 2

w9

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1w Pass 1u 1x

2u 2x 3w 3v

Pass 4x Pass Pass

Pass

Opening lead: King of w

Study the diagram and bidding of this deal, then decide. Would you rather be declarer or defend four spades after the lead of the king of clubs?

The bidding is typical of a competitive auction. North upgraded his two honors in partner’s second suit and jumped to game over the three-diamond rebid.

Suppose you elect to play. You ruff the club continuation, lead a diamond and, when West plays low, insert the king, which wins. Now run the ten of diamonds to West’s ace. West reverts to a club. If you ruff, trump control passes to the defenders, and you won’t be able to make the contract. Try it.

However, East’s bidding should have alerted you to the possibility of a bad trump break so, instead of ruffing, discard your heart loser! Now you can crossruff to make the rest of the tricks.

Nevertheless, you should have elected to defend. When declarer leads the first diamond, you must rise with the ace and play another club. Since the king of diamonds blocks the diamond suit, declarer cannot play a crossruff. If, instead of ruffing, declarer discards a heart, a trump switch leaves him blocked in dummy when he clears the king of diamonds. He cannot get back to hand without fatally shortening his trump holding.

2008 Tribune Media Services