BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK 8 2

uJ 10 9 7 3 2

v8 7

w9 6

WEST EAST

x9 7 5 4 xA J 10 6

uA K Q 6 4 u8

vK 2 vQ 10 9 5 4

w7 5 wA K 2

SOUTH

xQ 3

u5

vA J 6 3

wQ J 10 8 4 3

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

Pass 2vPass 2NT

3w Pass Pass Dbl

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ace of u

This deal is from the Trials to select the two teams to the represent the United States in last year’s Bermuda Bowl. At one table East-West declared three no trump in an uninterrupted auction and scored nine tricks.

In the given auction, West’s two-diamond opening was Flannery, showing four spades and five hearts. East’s two no trump asked opener to describe his hand and we must confess that nothing could induce us to step into the auction with the South hand at the three-level with unfavorable vulnerability. (If South felt constrained to do something, why not open three clubs before the opponents have exchanged information?) West’s pass showed 2-2 in the minors and East upped the ante.

West led the ace of hearts and switched to a trump. East won with the king, cashed the ace and exited with a trump. Declarer led a diamond to the seven and nine, and East returned a diamond ducked to West’s king. West shifted to a spade, East rose with the ace and returned a spade. No matter in which hand declarer won, he still had to concede a trick to the queen of diamonds and sound defense resulted in down three — 800 points to East-West.

2010 Tribune Media Services