East-West vulnerable. North deals.

East-West vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xA 4 3 2

uJ 4 3 2

vA 8

wK Q 4

WEST EAST

x7 6 x8 5

uA 10 9 uK 7 5

vJ 9 4 3 vK 10 7 6 5

w10 8 6 5 w7 3 2

SOUTH

xK Q J 10 9

uQ 8 6

vQ 2

wA J 9

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Pass 1x Pass

2x Pass 4x Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Three of v

Here’s another deal from Eddie Kantar’s excellent series “Thinking Bridge” for players eager to improve their game, published in the Daily Bulletin at the recent ACBL Fall National Championships in Boston.

“As North, with this distribution, if you are not strong enough to open one no trump, you are not strong enough to jump raise partner’s one-heart or one-spade response to three hearts or three spades. You must content yourself with a single raise.

“As West, with a choice of two unbid suits to lead, choose the stronger. However, if one of the suits is headed by an ace, choose the other.

“As South, considering diamonds in isolation, play low at trick one hoping West has led away from the king. However, looking at the hand as a whole, you should notice that you have a “heart problem,” meaning you would rather have the opponents lead hearts first. You can force a heart lead by using an equally divided suit (diamonds here) as your throw-in suit after the hand has been stripped.

“Win the ace of diamonds, draw trumps, strip clubs and exit with the queen of diamonds. No matter who wins the trick, that defender must either lead a heart, limiting your heart losses to two tricks, or concede a ruff and sluff. If given a ruff and sluff, discard a heart from South, the shorter heart hand, and ruff in North, the longer heart hand.

“Hearts is the critical suit. Whichever side breaks hearts first loses a trick. If declarer misplays the hand and winds up leading hearts first, second hand plays low if a low heart is led and covers if an honor is led.”

2009 Tribune Media Services