bridge

August 11, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x9 8

uA 7 6 4

v10 8 6 5

wA Q 7

WEST EAST

x6 3 xA Q J 10 4 2

uK 10 u9 3

vA 9 7 3 2 vK 4

w8 6 5 4 w9 3 2

SOUTH

xK 7 5

uQ J 8 5 2

vQ J

wK J 10

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 2w 2x

3u Pass 4u Dbl

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Six of x

We are not sure that we would have chosen to open the South hand, with its host of secondary honors and unprotected diamond honors, with one no trump. As a result, North-South reached a pushy game and West, looking at two defensive tricks, elected to double.

West led the top of his spade doubleton. East won with the ace and, in an attempt to find a ruff, shifted to the king of diamonds and continued the suit when the monarch survived. With West’s doubleton king of hearts sitting under the ace, it looked as if the defenders had managed all they could, but West was not done yet. He continued with a third round of diamonds and East rose to the occasion — he ruffed with the nine of trumps!

Declarer had no counter. He was forced to overruff with one of his trump honors and now West’s K 10 of trumps was promoted to the setting trick no matter how declarer maneuvered. South made a good shot by leading the queen of trumps, hoping to pin a now singleton ten of hearts, but to no avail — down one doubled.

2010 Tribune Media Services