North-South vulnerable. South deals.

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x9 7

u3 2

vA 5 4 3

wQ 10 9 7 6

WESTEAST

x5 3xK 8 6 4

u7 5uJ 10 9 8 6

vQ 10 8 2vK J

wA K J 8 3w5 4

SOUTH

xA Q J 10 2

uA K Q 4

v9 7 6

w2

The bidding:

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST

1x2wDblPass

3uPass3NTPass

4xPassPassPass

Opening lead: King of w

Choosing a line that is considerably against the odds usually is not a good idea. Dig deep to see whether there might be a better way.

North’s double of two clubs was, by agreement, for penalties. South decided that any penalty obtained from two clubs doubled would not compensate for a vulnerable game and pressed on to a highly ambitious four-spade contract.

West got the defense off to its best start by leading a top club and shifting to diamond at trick two. Besides three minor-suit losers, declarer had to worry about the fourth heart and the king of trumps.

South rose with the ace of diamonds and ruffed a club. The ace and king of hearts were cashed and a low heart was led, and prospects brightened considerable when West discarded a club.

After ruffing on the table, declarer scorned the trump finesse — that would help only if East held either a singleton or doubleton king of trumps, not very likely in view of the bidding and West’s apparent diamond length.

Instead, declarer ruffed another club, trumped the queen of hearts with dummy’s last trump and then ruffed a third club.

Now declarer simply tossed a diamond on the table and sat back to wait to score the queen of spades as his fulfilling trick, taking the trump finesse should East win the diamond and shift to a spade.

In all, declarer scored seven trump tricks, the ace and king of hearts and the ace of diamonds — exactly 10 tricks.

SCrt 2009 Tribune Media Services