Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Bridge
Neither vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
xA J 10 8 3 2
uJ 10 2
v7 4
wA 3
WEST EAST
xQ 9 7 6 x5
u7 6 4 uQ 8 5
vA 10 6 vQ J 9 5 3
w10 6 2 w9 8 7 5
SOUTH
xK 4
uA K 9 3
vK 8 2
wK Q J 4
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
2 NT Pass 3u Pass
3x Pass 6x Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Ace of v
It was still relatively early in the new year, but Trump Coup Tommy was in his element — so much so that he expected a bad trump break whenever he was declarer. This deal was a typical example.
North’s three-heart response to Tommy’s two-no-trump opening bid was a transfer and the jump to the spade slam was only a slight stretch. West’s attack with the ace of diamonds was sound — without that, a simple trump finesse and four rounds of clubs would have permitted declarer to discard two diamond losers from the table.
West continued with a diamond to the king and Tommy ruffed his diamond loser on the table.
The king of spades was followed by a finesse of the ten, and Tommy could barely conceal his pleasure when East discarded a diamond on the second round. Next came the jack of hearts, and it made no difference whether East covered or not. Tommy played three rounds of clubs, ruffing the third. After two more rounds of hearts, ending in hand, no matter whether Tommy led a heart or a club, dummy’s ace-jack of spades scored the last two tricks.
2010 Tribune Media Services
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