East-West vulnerable. North deals.

East-West vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xA 8

uK 6

vA Q 10 9 8

w9 8 6 5

WEST EAST

xVoid xJ 6 5 3 2

uQ 10 8 5 3 uJ 7

v5 4 3 2 vK J 7

wA K 10 2 wQ J 4

SOUTH

xK Q 10 9 7 4

uA 9 4 2

v6

w7 3

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1x Pass

2w Pass 3x Pass

4x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of w

The cards tend to mirror life. In the real world, it is wrong to send a boy to do a man’s job. That holds true at the card table as well.

South had a slight problem on the second round of the auction. Since a bid of two hearts would have been fourth-suit forcing and did not necessarily promise a suit, he wisely elected to make an invitational jump in spades, and North raised to game.

West led the king of clubs and East signaled with the queen, promising the jack. West continued with a low club to the jack and declarer ruffed East’s club return. With two losing hearts to take care of, declarer cashed the king and ace and ruffed a heart with the eight. East overruffed and returned a trump. There was still one chance. Declarer came to hand with a club ruff and tried the diamond finesse — down two on a hand that should have been made!

After cashing the king and ace of hearts, declarer must ruff a heart with the ace of spades! Declarer cashes the ace of diamonds, comes to hand with a diamond ruff and ruffs his remaining heart with the eight of spades. Whether or not East overruffs, the jack of trumps is the third and last trick for the defense.

2009 Tribune Media Services