Bridge

April 8, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Bridge

North-South vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

xK Q 4 2

uK 9 3

v10 8 7 5 3

WEST EAST

x9 7 6 x10 3

uA J 8 6 u2

vQ 9 2 vK J 6 4

wK 9 8 wA Q 7 5 4 2

SOUTH

xA J 8 5

uQ 10 7 5 4

wJ 10 3

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

Pass 1u Pass 1NT*

2w Pass 3w 3u

4w 4u PassPass

Pass

*forcing

Opening lead: Eight of w

It might seem that South had lost his senses in pressing on to game despite a minimum opening bid. However, the auction had marked North with a singleton club, so all their points were working. West led a club to East’s ace, and the defender shifted to a diamond. Declarer won perforce, ruffed a club in dummy, came to hand with the jack of spades and ruffed his remaining club.

The king of hearts lost to West’s ace and West persevered with a diamond, declarer ruffing. The auction provided the clue to winning the contract. East was marked with a distributional hand probably including a singleton, and it was almost certainly in hearts.

Backing his judgment, declarer continued by ruffing a diamond, crossing to the king of spades and ruffing another diamond. Declarer now cashed the ace of spades and continued with a spade. Down to nothing but trumps, West was helpless. He had to ruff and then lead away from his J 8 of trumps into South’s Q 10 tenace. Four hearts bid and made.

2010 Tribune Media Services