BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xJ 10 9

u7 3

vA K 9 7 5

wA 8 6

WEST EAST

xA 8 5 4 xK Q 3

uQ 8 4 uK 10 9 6 5

vJ 8 6 3 vQ 4 2

w10 2 w7 3

SOUTH

x7 6 2

uA J 2

v10

wK Q J 9 5 4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w Pass 1v 1u

2w Pass 2x Pass

3w Pass 4w Pass

5w Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Four of u

If you like, cover the East-West hands and decide how you would play five clubs after the lead of a low heart.

We do not know whether North intended his two spades as a help-suit game try or a psychic bid. Regardless of its intent, we cannot imagine why South did not try two no trump instead of droning on in clubs. Once the heart stopper was shown, the best game would have been reached in quick time. Instead, South landed in an inelegant minor-suit game, but received a reprieve when West made the normal lead from an honor in the suit partner bid. How should you proceed?

First, you need to establish and cash a long diamond, so you need three entries to dummy. Next, you have to ruff a loser on the table, so a 2-2 trump split is also necessary.

Win the ace of hearts, cash the ace and king of diamonds, discarding a spade from hand, and ruff a diamond high, both defenders following. Now lead a club and finesse the eight!

When this succeeds, you are almost home. Ruff another diamond high, cross to the ace of clubs and the suit splits evenly. All is well. Discard another spade on the long diamond, concede a heart and, since you can ruff your remaining heart in dummy, you lose only one trick in each major.

What if the trump finesse were to fail? Then you go down several tricks. But that is a small price to pay for the chance to make your contract — and be written up in the bridge columns!

2009 Tribune Media Services