North-South vulnerable. East deals.

North-South vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

xA 10 3

uK 8

vA 10 8 7 4

w7 4 2

WEST EAST

xVoid xK Q

uA 10 9 7 3 2 uQ 6 5 4

vK Q 3 vJ 5 2

wQ J 9 5 wK 8 6 3

SOUTH

xJ 9 8 7 6 5 4 2

uJ

v9 6

wA 10

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

Pass Pass 1u Pass

3u 3x 4u 4x

Dbl Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of v

We have often reminded our readers that aces were made to capture kings. But any general advice must be tempered to fit the situation at hand. This deal illustrates our point.

A shoddy eight-card suit and a side suit ace are not the stuff for an opening pre-empt. On the second round, however, no great harm can befall South for entering the auction even at the three-level. As a result, North decided wisely to bid over four hearts rather than make a close double.

With any lead other than a diamond, South has an easy road to 10 tricks. Declarer gets to hand with the ace of clubs to lead a heart. If West rises with the ace, declarer can later get a diamond discard on king of hearts. If West ducks, declarer rises with the king — the obvious play all things considered — and loses only one trick in each of the other suits.

After the king of diamonds lead, this luxury is no longer available to declarer. To win and come to hand with the ace of clubs sets up a fourth trick for the defense. You might try cashing the ace of spades, but East’s double suggests that hoping for a 1-1 spade split is futile.

The winning line is simple — allow the king of diamonds to win the first trick! Best defense is for West to shift to a club at trick two. Declarer wins, crosses to the ace of diamonds and ruffs a diamond. When the suit breaks 3-3, play a spade to the ace and lead a winning diamond, discarding your club loser whether or not a defender ruffs. There is nothing the defenders can do to prevent you from making your contract.

2008 Tribune Media Services