BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK 10 8 7 6 3

u7 5 4 3

v8 6 2

wVoid

WEST EAST

xQ 5 2 xVoid

uK u10 8 6 2

vQ J 10 v9 4 3

wA 10 9 8 7 6 wK Q J 5 3 2

SOUTH

xA J 9 4

uA Q J 9

vA K 7 5

w4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x 2w 4x 5w

5x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ace of w

We read a newspaper article about scientists who were studying bridge clubs in retirement centers in Florida to see if the activity had any effect on their memory and mental state. That brought to mind a lady named Florence Chadwick from Torquay, England, who died some years ago at 105. At 102, she was still traveling to weekend tournaments around the country. She was 100 when she sat South on this deal from a pairs event at a tournament in Brighton. Her partner was the Swedish internationalist Tommy Gullberg.

Mrs. Chadwick opened an Acol one spade and North jumped to four spades over West’s two-club overcall. East competed with five clubs and South’s five spades ended the auction.

West led ace of clubs, ruffed in dummy. Declarer decided that East was likely to be short in spades to compete at the five-level, so she continued with a low trump to the ace of spades. East’s club discard was followed by a trump finesse and the remaining trump was drawn.

Since declarer felt it was likely that West, who had eight or nine cards in the black suits, probably held the king of hearts for his overcall, her next shot was the ace in that suit, and great was the fall thereon. (If the king didn’t drop, an endplay was possible if West held 2-2 in the red suits.) Making 12 tricks was a near top on the board!

2009 Tribune Media Services