Neither vulnerable. South deals.

Neither vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK J 8 7

uJ 9 2

v4 2

wK 7 6 5

WEST EAST

xA 6 5 3 x10 4

uA 10 8 6 u3

v5 3 vA Q J 7 6

wQ 10 8 wA J 9 4 2

SOUTH

xQ 9 2

uK Q 7 5 4

vK 10 9 8

w3

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

Pass Pass Pass 1v

1u 1x 2u 2x

3u Dbl Pass Pass

Pass

Opening lead: Five of v

Club regulars knew that doubling Trump Coup Tommy with a trump stack was futile -- all it did was turn a card pusher into a technical master. And to double Tommy in a partial was tantamount to handing him a game. Still, once in a while even the most stoic opponent could not resist temptation.

There was nothing remarkable about the auction. West found it hard to believe that even Tommy could come to nine tricks when East had opened in fourth seat and competed freely to the three-level. After all, West held a near-opening bid, including two aces and four trumps and, had it not been Tommy declaring, no one would have had the slightest quibble with the double.

West led the five of diamonds and East rose with the ace and returned the queen, Tommy’s king winning. The king of trumps was taken with the ace and West shifted to the queen of clubs, which held the trick. The continuation of the ten of clubs was ruffed in the closed hand and a spade to the jack won. Back came a spade to the ten and queen, losing to the ace. West reverted to clubs, Tommy ruffing. West now held one more trump than did Tommy — to no avail.

Tommy cashed the king and eight of spades, discarding a diamond from hand. All hands were now down to three cards. Dummy held J 9 of trumps and K of clubs and West down to nothing but trumps. Tommy led the king of clubs from dummy and ruffed with queen of hearts as West underruffed helplessly. Tommy finessed dummy’s nine of trumps and scored the jack, and nine tricks were in the bag. The defenders collected only one trick in each suit!

SCrt 2009 Tribune Media Services