BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xA 10 8

uVoid

vK 10 8 3 2

wA 8 7 5 3

WEST EAST

xK Q J 9x2

uQ J 5u10 8 7 3

vQ J 7 6v9 4

w9 2wK Q J 10 6 4

SOUTH

x7 6 5 4 3

uA K 9 6 4 2

vA 5

wVoid

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1uPass2vPass

2uPass3wPass

3xPass3NTPass

4xDblPassPass

Pass

Opening lead: King of x

The best time to double the opponents is when you have a surprise in store for them, such as a trump stack. But once in a while even that might not be enough.

With a partial misfit, it seemed for a while that North-South might never locate their best strain. When South introduced spades at the three-level, North feared that it might be a four-card suit, hence he selected three no trump as a possible contract.

Since the North hand was obviously short in hearts, South inferred that partner probably held three spades so, with no source of tricks at a no-trump contract, South boldly corrected to four spades. West’s double was a call after our own hearts — it looked as if a telephone number was in the offing.

West found the best attack of the king of spades. But it did not make a bit of difference to declarer. Dummy’s ace won the first trick and the ace of clubs was cashed for a heart discard.

A club ruff was followed by the ace and king of diamonds and a diamond ruff for declarer’s sixth trick. Two top hearts and a heart ruff on the table were followed by the safe diamond ruff in hand. That brought declarer’s total to 10 tricks and left West wondering what had hit him!

2009 Tribune Media Services