Neither vulnerable. South deals.

Neither vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x7 5 4

uQ 8

vQ J 6 4

wQ 9 5 3

WEST EAST

xK J 9 2 xQ 10 3

uK J 6 3 u9 5 4 2

vA 3 v10 9 8 2

w8 6 2 w7 4

SOUTH

xA 8 6

uA 10 7

vK 7 5

wA K J 10

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w Dbl 2w Pass

3NT Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Two of x

Just listening to the auction should have told South how to tackle the play at three no trump. Had he done so, there would have been no further problem.

Note West’s takeout double. After a minor-suit opening bid, it stresses the majors and having no values in the unbid minor is no flaw. With 19 high-card points opposite a partner who had the values for a response, South’s three no trump was textbook.

If you are going to lead a major from the West hand, spades is clearly the better choice. Possession of the nine means, even if partner holds nothing higher than the ten, you are going to set up two tricks in the suit. That does not hold true for hearts.

Declarer held up the ace of spades to the third round, then led a low diamond to the jack, which held. A diamond back to the king lost to the ace and West cashed the king of spades to complete the defensive book before exiting safely with a club. When diamonds failed to break evenly, declarer could not come to more than eight tricks.

With the takeout double marking West with the ace of diamonds, declarer’s first priority should have been to test whether it was singly guarded. When the jack of diamonds wins at trick four, declarer should return to hand with a high club to lead another diamond toward the queen. As the cards lie, West will have to spend his ace “on air,” giving declarer three diamond tricks and nine in all.

2008 Tribune Media Services