Both vulnerable. South deals.

February 3, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

NORTH

x7 5 3

uK 9 8 4

vA J

wK J 5 2

WEST EAST

xA Q J 10 8 x9 2

u5 uJ 3

vK Q 5 4 3 v10 9 8 7 2

w10 6 wQ 9 8 7

SOUTH

xK 6 4

uA Q 10 7 6 2

wA 4 3

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u 2u 4u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of v

Sometimes more than one theme can occur in the play of a hand. It can require delicate timing to take advantage of all the possibilities.

West’s cue-bid of two hearts promised spades and a minor suit. North wasted no time in getting to the heart game and West attacked with the king of diamonds.

Since the ace of spades was surely in the West hand, there was danger that declarer would lose three spade tricks and a club.

Obviously, South had to prevent East from gaining the lead. That would present no problem if West held the queen of clubs, but West’s second suit was diamonds so that was against the odds.

Rather than relying on a favorable lie of the cards, declarer elected to combine a loser-on-loser avoidance play with a safety play in clubs by endplaying West.

The opening lead of the king of diamonds was won with dummy’s ace and trumps were drawn in two rounds. Declarer then cashed the ace and king of clubs in case the queen dropped. When nothing good happened, declarer continued with his plan by leading the jack of diamonds and discarding his losing club!

West won an unexpected trick but did not enjoy the prospect of being on lead.

Whether he cashed the ace of spades or led a diamond, giving declarer a ruff-sluff, two spade tricks and a diamond were all the defenders could collect.

What if West held another club or two instead of diamond length? The contract was still safe.

If West exited with the queen of clubs, declarer would ruff, return to the table with a trump and take a spade discard on the jack of clubs.

If West could return a low club, declarer would cover with the table’s jack. Either the knave would win or, if East held the queen, declarer would ruff and dummy’s fourth club would be set up for a spade discard.

2010 Tribune Media Services