Neither vulnerable. South deals.

Neither vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x8 6

uK Q J 6

vA J 5 3

w8 6 4

WEST EAST

xK 10 7 5 2 xQ 9 4

u9 2 u8 7 5 3

v? 7 4 v? 2

wQ 9 5 wK 10 3 2

SOUTH

xA J 3

uA 10 4

vK 10 9 6

wA J 7

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 2w Pass

2v Pass 3NT Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Five of x

In bridge, A is for Avoidance, the technique of keeping the danger hand off lead. On this deal from a team match, the two declarers applied the technique in different ways to land their contracts.

The same contract was reached at the two tables via identical auctions. After South opened one no trump, both Norths probed for a 4-4 major-suit fit, then jumped to game when none was discovered.

Both Wests led their fourth-best spade and East put up the queen. At one table, declarer held up the ace of spades to the third round and then ran the 10 of diamonds. If it won, declarer had an overtrick; if it lost, declarer settled for nine tricks since there was no fast entry to the spades in West’s hand.

At the other table, declarer won the ace of spades at trick one. Now East was the danger hand, since declarer could not afford to have that defender lead a spade through the jack. Therefore, at trick two, declarer crossed to the ace of diamonds and ran the jack, also making nine or 10 tricks depending on the location of the diamond queen.

2008 Tribune Media Services