Neither vulnerable. East deals.

Neither vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

xA J 10

uA 9 6 5

vJ 10

wK Q J 10

WEST EAST

xQ 6 3 xK 9 8 2

u4 3 u2

v8 6 4 3 vA K Q 9 2

w8 7 6 4 wA 5 2

SOUTH

x7 5 4

uK Q J 10 8 7

v7 5

w9 3

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1v 2u Pass 4u

Dbl Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Eight of v

Here’s another deal from Eddie Kantar’s “Thinking Bridge” series for players anxious to improve their game, published in the Daily Bulletins of the recent ACBL Fall North American Championships in Boston.

“As South, your weak two-heart jump overcall is akin to a weak two-bid. It shows a six-card suit, typically headed by two or three honors, 6-9 high-card points. North’s raise to four hearts is a trifle aggressive. A ‘scientific’ option is to make a forcing two no trump response, asking partner to further describe his hand. This response would elicit a three-heart response from South, showing a minimum. (With a better hand, South would show a side-suit feature — an ace or a king.) As North, you should pass three hearts but that is water over the dam. East’s double of four hearts is for takeout, showing short hearts and a strong hand. As West, do not remove a takeout double of a game contract with a weak balanced hand.

“As West holding three or four low cards in partner’s suit, lead low if you have not supported, high if you have. As an aside, with the ace in partner’s suit lead the ace, period.

“As East, after you take your two diamond tricks, count their tricks. The bidding tells you of six heart tricks and, once South drives out the ace of clubs declarer will have three club tricks to go along with the spade ace for 10 tricks. What can you do?

“Your only hope is to build a quick spade trick before your ace of clubs is removed. Play partner for the queen of spades and shift to a low spade at trick three. If you do, partner comes through and plays the queen, driving out the ace. The king of spades is the setting trick.”

2009 Tribune Media Services