bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xA 6 2

uA K 7 4

vA 10 8

wA J 3

WEST EAST

xK 10 8 5 4 x9 7

uJ 8 3 uQ 10 9 5

v6 4 vK 7 2

wQ 7 2 wK 9 8 4

SOUTH

xQ J 3

u6 2

vQ J 9 5 3

w10 6 5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Pass 1NT Pass

3NT Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Five of x

These days, we tend to sneer at the simple finesse. Would you believe that almost a half-century ago the late Fred Karpin wrote a book on “The Finesse: How to Win More Tricks More Often”. This is one of the deals, from the days when four-card majors were still the norm.

System determined North’s opening bid, and the normal contract of three no trump was reached. West led his fourth-best spade, declarer ducked in dummy and won the trick in hand with the knave. He ran the nine of diamonds, which held, and continued with the jack. East took the king and returned a spade to West’s ten and the contract could no longer be made.

Declarer took finesses in both spades and diamonds and, in Karpin’s words, “both were suicidal.” As is so often the case, the play to the first trick killed the South hand by removing a key entry before it could be put to use. Correct was to rise with the ace and simply go about establishing the diamonds by cashing the ace of diamonds and continuing with the suit to force out the king. Declarer can then create an entry to the closed hand in spades to run the diamonds and assure nine tricks.

2010 Tribune Media Services

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