bridge

April 1, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

East-West vulnerable. West deals.

NORTH

xQ J 9 5

uQ 9 2

vQ 10 8

wA Q J

WEST EAST

x10 8 7 xA 6

uJ 10 7 4 uK 8 6 3

v7 vA J 9 5 4 2

wK 7 6 4 2 w5

SOUTH

xK 4 3 2

uA 5

vK 6 3

w10 9 8 3

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Pass 1w 1v 1x

Pass 2x Dbl Rdbl

3u 3x Pass Pass

Pass

Opening lead: Seven of w

This deal is from a National Pairs Championship some years ago. Sitting East-West were Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell.

Rodwell led his singleton diamond. Meckstroth won with the ace but, since he held the ace of trumps, he saw no hurry about giving his partner a diamond ruff. Instead, he returned his singleton club. Declarer won cheaply and led a trump. East won with the ace of spades, gave his partner a diamond ruff, ruffed a club in return and gave partner another diamond ruff for down two. Meckroth-Rodwell went on to win the event.

At another table where the auction went in similar fashion, French internationalist Jean-Marc Roudinesco converted three spades to three no trump. East started with a low heart, declarer won with the queen, forced out the ace of spades and could not be prevented from collecting nine tricks.

2010 Tribune Media Services