North-South vulnerable. South deals.

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xQ J 10 6 5 4 3 2

u6

v9 3

wJ 5

WEST EAST

xA x9 8

u9 7 5 3 u10 4

vA Q J 5 v10 7 6 2

wA K Q 8 w10 7 4 3 2

SOUTH

xK 7

uA K Q J 8 2

vK 8 4

w9 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u Dbl Rdbl Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of w

Yesterday’s column featured a hand where South declared a two-level redoubled contract and went down for a bundle. On this redoubled deal from a team event, at the Summer North American Championships, declarer fared much better.

North’s redouble, by agreement, showed length in spades. We would not have risked passing with either the East or West holding. (East must have got his table confused — a full house of tens does better in the poker room than at the bridge table.)

Against one heart redoubled, West cashed two high clubs and shifted to a trump. Declarer won, and drew three more rounds of trumps before leading the king of spades. West won but failed to cash the ace of diamonds — allowing declarer to win the rest of the tricks, 10 in all, for a score of 1,920.

It takes careful defense to defeat five clubs. The defense must start by cashing two winning hearts and continue with a third heart. North scores the jack of clubs for the third defensive trick.

2008 Tribune Media Services