bridge

bridge

Neither vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xQ J 10 9

uA Q J 4 2

vA Q

w10 3

WEST EAST

xK 8 5 3 2 xA 7 6 4

u8 6 uK 10 7 5 3

v9 8 5 3 vK

w7 5 wQ 8 4

SOUTH

xVoid

u9

vJ 10 7 6 4 2

wA K J 9 6 2

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Pass 2v Pass

2x Pass 3w Pass

3NT Pass 4w Pass

6v Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Three of x

On this deal from a Summer North American Championships some years ago, British internationalist Tony Forrester (East) demonstrated why he is regarded among the best defenders in the bridge world.

North-South did well to reach six diamonds. When South showed a good minor two-suiter, North judged that his ace-queen of diamonds merited more than game, and leaped straight to the diamond slam.

West led a low spade, covered by the nine and ace and ruffed in the closed hand. It seemed that, with the king of diamonds singleton in the East hand, the only trick for the defenders would be a trump since declarer would probably play to ruff a club in dummy to set up the suit.

That was declarer’s intent, but a strange thing happened on the way to the Forum. When declarer cashed the second high club, Forrester dropped the queen, setting up the suit for declarer! Now there was no need to ruff a club, and the trump finesse was irresistible.

A diamond to the queen lost to the king, and back came a spade. Declarer ruffed and led a diamond to the ace, and the 4-1 split was the contract’s death knell. Declarer could not get back to hand without shortening his trump holding fatally, and the result was down four, although South could have limited the carnage to down three!

2010 Tribune Media Services