Both vulnerable. West deals.

Both vulnerable. West deals.

NORTH

xQ 9 4 2

uK 5

vJ 9

wA K 10 9 2

WEST EAST

x8 x6 5 3

uJ 9 6 4 2 uA Q 10

vA 10 4 3 vK Q 8 7 2

w8 7 4 w6 5

SOUTH

xA K J 10 7

u8 7 3

v6 5

wQ J 3

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Pass 1w 1v 1x

3v 3x Pass 4x

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ace of v

This deal wraps up our reprint of Eddie Kantar’s “Thinking Bridge” series, which was published in the Daily Bulletins at the ACBL Fall North American Championships held in Boston.

“In the modern game, jump raises of opening bids or overcalls in competition (three diamonds) are pre-emptive. A cue-bid is used to show strong supporting hands. As North, do not count your jack of diamonds, a secondary card in a suit that has been bid and supported. Even so, your hand is strong enough to bid three spades and South is strong enough to bid four spades, attaching extra value to honors in partner’s first-bid suit (queen-jack of clubs).

“As East, when partner leads a winning card in a suit you have bid, and a suit in which you have strength, check dummy to see whether you want a continuation or prefer a shift. If you want a shift, play your lowest card. Good partners can usually work out the ’shift’ suit. It is usually dummy’s shorter side suit. You want a shift so play the two of diamonds. If you get the shift, you can take two hearts and two diamonds to defeat the contract.”

But suppose that dummy held the ace-queen of clubs instead of the ace-king. Now it might not be clear to partner whether you want a heart or a club shift. You can clarify the situation by dropping the king of diamonds under the ace! That is a clarion call for the shift to the higher-ranking of the two suits — hearts.

For further information about Kantar products, go to www.kantarbridge.com.

2009 Tribune Media Services