BRIDGE

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

East-West vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x8 7

uJ 7 4

v9 6 5 3

wK Q J 2

WEST EAST

x6 4 x9 5

uA K Q 2 u10 6 5 3

vK 7 4 vJ 10 8

w9 7 4 3 w10 8 6 5

SOUTH

xA K Q J 10 3 2

u9 8

vA Q 2

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2w Pass 2v Pass

2x Pass 2NT Pass

3x Pass 4w Pass

4x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ace of u

Here’s another deal from Eddie Kantar’s “Thinking Bridge” series for players who want to improve their game, published in the Daily Bulletins at the recent ACBL Fall North American Championships held in San Diego, Calif.

“Two clubs is the standard tool for very strong opening hands. Two diamonds is often played as a waiting response to see what opener has in mind. Opener usually rebids two no trump to show 22-24 high-card points, balanced. If so, responses are similar to a two-no-trump opening bid. South’s two-spade rebid suggests an unbalanced hand with long spades. Two no trump shows a scattering of strength and three spades is looking for more information. Four clubs shows where North’s strength lies and South signs off in four spades, needing red-suit strength, not club strength, for slam.

“West starts with three rounds of hearts. As South, before playing to the first trick count your sure tricks [or losers] and look over your own hand and dummy suit-by-suit to see if there are any problems. And if you find one [like clubs being blocked], ask yourself if anything can be done. You need a dummy entry to use the clubs after you unblock the ace. You have one. See it?

“If you ruff the third heart high [first key play], cash the ace of clubs and lead a low spade to the seven [second key play], you force a dummy entry with the eight of spades. Are you a player or what? East wins with the nine and fires the jack of diamonds through your ace-queen. Too late. You win the ace of diamonds, cross to the eight of spades and discard two losing diamonds on two winning clubs.

“Don’t look now, but you have the rest of the tricks. And yes, there is a defense that defeats this contract. After cashing two hearts, West has to shift to a spade and East has to play low, killing dummy’s late spade entry. Do not hold your breath.”

2010 Tribune Media Services