BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xJ 9 6 5 4 3

uQ 8

v10 4

wK 6 3

WEST EAST

xA Q 10 8 7xVoid

u6 4 3uK 7 2

vK 9 2vA Q 8 5

w9 5wJ 10 8 7 4 2

SOUTH

xK 2

uA J 10 9 5

vJ 7 6 3

wA Q

The bidding:

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST

PassPass1NTPass

2uPass2xPass

PassDblPassPass

Pass

Opening lead: Nine of w

Bad trump breaks seem to follow Trump Coup Tommy around. He was kibitzing this deal from the Lebhar IMP Pairs at the recent ACBL Spring North American Championships held in Houston.

South’s choice of opening an off-shape one no trump with a hand rich in prime cards would not have been our choice. And East’s balancing double would have been way down on our list of actions.

West thought Christmas had arrived about nine months early and happily converted to penalties.

West led the nine of clubs and South, Henry Caspar of Houston, made the expert play of rising with the king to gain an entry for the heart finesse.

The queen of hearts was covered by the king and taken with the ace, and declarer cashed two more heart tricks to get rid of one of the table’s diamonds.

The ace of clubs was cleared and a low heart was led. West ruffed and dummy’s remaining diamond was discarded.

Since a club ruff in the closed hand could be stopped only by West’s sacrificing a trump trick, declarer made his contract, only losing five trump tricks. The balancing doubler did not score a single trick!

2009 Tribune Media Services