Neither vulnerable. North deals.

Neither vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xK 6 3

u10 5

vA 7 6 4 3

wQ 9 2

WEST EAST

xQ 10 x8 7 2

uQ 8 6 3 uK 9 4 2

vK 9 8 vQ 10 2

wK 7 4 3 wJ 10 5

SOUTH

xA J 9 5 4

uA J 7

vJ 5

wA 8 6

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass Pass 1NT Pass

3NT Pass Pass

Opening lead: Three of u

Here’s another deal from the recent ACBL Spring North American Bridge Championships in Houston, reported by Barry Rigal. Sitting West was Glen Milgrim of Forest Hills, N.Y.

After South’s one-no-trump opening bid, North’s raise to game, even with a five-card suit, was aggressive. However, passive defense would have allowed declarer to scrape home.

The opening heart lead went to the king and ace and a declarer crossed to the king of spades to take a finesse in the suit, the jack losing to the queen. Milgrim realized that, if South’s opening bid contained nothing other than the three missing aces and the major-suit jacks, he would have nine tricks — four spades, two hearts, the minor suit aces, and eventually the queen of clubs.

West found the one card to put an end to declarer’s aspirations — he returned the king of diamonds! Try as he might, declarer could not avoid losing two diamond tricks and one in each other suit — down one!

2009 Tribune Media Services