Neither vulnerable. North deals.

Neither vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xQ 8 2

uA Q 9 7 6 3

vK Q J 10

wVoid

WEST EAST

x5 xK 9 6 3

uK J 8 5 2 u10

v8 3 vA 9 6 2

w9 8 6 5 2 wQ 10 4 3

SOUTH

xA J 10 7 4

u4

v7 5 4

wA K J 7

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Pass 1x Pass

2u Pass 3w Pass

3v Pass 3NT Pass

4x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Nine of w

In conjunction with the Summer North American Championships, to be held in mid-July in Las Vegas, the American Contract Bridge League is organizing championships for two young age groups. Europe, for years now, has been running annual School and Junior championships, and the standard of bridge is high. Declarer on this deal, from a European open tournament, was 13-year-old Eliran Argalazi who, a few months earlier, was a member of Israel’s winning team in the European Schools’ Championship.

Because of the fit for partner’s spade suit, two diamonds might have been a better rebid for North. However, the final contract would more than likely have been the same.

West led the nine of clubs, declarer discarded a heart from dummy and captured the trick with his jack. A club was ruffed low on the table and the queen of spades was led, covered by the king and taken with the ace. When the jack of trumps fetched a club discard from West, declarer cleared the clubs before playing a heart to the ace and ruffing a heart in hand. East’s diamond discard made the hand an open book.

South exited with a diamond and sat back to wait. Sooner or later, East had to win a diamond and, whether the defender returned a diamond or a spade, declarer would be able to take a finesse for the nine of trumps and collect two overtricks for a top score.

2008 Tribune Media Services