BRIDGE


BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x7 3

uQ 5 3 2

v9 3 2

wA 10 5 3

WEST EAST

x10 9 x8 5 4

uA J 9 uK 10 8 7

vK J 6 4 vQ 10 8

wJ 9 6 2 wK 8 4

SOUTH

xA K Q J 6 2

u6 4

vA 7 5

wQ 7

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 1NT Pass

3x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Two of w

Study the bidding and play of this deal and decide: Did anyone err in the bidding or play of the hand? If so, who?

The auction is routine. With 7-plus tricks in hand, South’s jump rebid of three spades is textbook, as was North’s pass.

West led the deuce of clubs and the contract seemed easy enough. Declarer starts with eight winners and the club lead appears to give declarer his ninth. Declarer played low from dummy, East won the king and declarer followed with the seven. East shifted to a diamond. Declarer ducked, won the diamond continuation, drew trumps and cashed the queen of clubs. Unfortunat w ely, he had no entry to the table, and the defenders didn’t help. They took their four red-suit winners to go with the king of clubs, and declarer failed by a trick.

What’s your verdict?

While you might consider South to have been a little unlucky, he must be charged with an error. As so often happens, that came at the very first trick. When East rose with the king of clubs, declarer’s only legitimate chance for the contract was to jettison the queen of clubs under the king and play for West to have the jack! When South gains the lead, he draws trumps and leads a club, finessing the ten. When that wins, he can claim the contract.

2010 Tribune Media Services Inc.

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