bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

xA J 4

uA 9 7

vK 7 6 4

wK Q 3

WEST EAST

xK Q 9 8 5 x10 2

uJ 10 8 3 2 u6 5

v8 vA Q 5

w8 2 wA J 10 9 7 5

SOUTH

x7 6 3

uK Q 4

vJ 10 9 3 2

w6 4

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1w Pass 1x 1NT

2w 2v 2u 3v

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Eight of w

West was rather cautious to sell out to three diamonds — three in either major would not have proved expensive. However, there was a possibility that three diamonds could be defeated, so ...

West led the eight of clubs, covered by the queen and taken with the ace. East shifted to the ten of spades, on which West followed with the queen. How should declarer continue?

On the auction West probably has 10 major-suit cards, and East therefore likely holds a doubleton in each of partner’s suits. He almost surely holds the ace of trumps, so he must be stripped of spades before he wins that card if a spade ruff is to be avoided. That is all declarer really needs to make his contract — he must allow West’s queen of spades to hold the trick!

West can do no better than continue with a spade. Dummy wins cheaply, declarer comes to hand with the king of hearts and runs the jack of diamonds. That loses to the queen, but East can do declarer no harm. No matter how the defense continues, declarer will have time to force out the remaining diamond honor and hold his losers to two trumps and one in each black suit.

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