bridge

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

bridge

North-South vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xK J 5 2

u6 3

vA J 4

wA K 6 3

WEST EAST

x7 3 x9 8

uA 10 7 uK Q J 8 4

vQ 8 7 6 3 v2

wJ 10 8 wQ 9 7 5 2

SOUTH

x A Q 10 6 4

u9 5 2

vK 10 9 5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1NT 2u 2x 3u

3x Pass 4x Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ace of u

This deal is from a duplicate event. The final contract was not at risk — at most declarer could lose two heart tricks and a diamond — but the overtrick was important.

After a competitive auction, South became declarer at four spades. West led the ace of hearts and continued with the ten. East overtook with the jack and shifted to a trump. Declarer had no trump or club loser so, to obtain the best score possible, declarer had to pick up the queen of diamonds, and either defender could hold her majesty. Declarer set about learning what he could about the hand.

He won the trump and drew the outstanding trumps, then cashed the ace and king of clubs and ruffed a club. Next came a heart ruff in dummy and another club ruff in hand, on which West pitched a diamond. The count was complete.

East was known to have started with two spades, five hearts and five clubs, hence could not hold more than one diamond. It was a simple matter to take the king of diamonds and then finesse the jack, making an overtrick for an excellent duplicate result.

2010 Tribune Media Services