bridge

July 6, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x10 8

uK 8 2

vA 8 7

wK J 4 3 2

WEST EAST

xJ 6 xQ 9 5 4 3 2

uJ 10 7 3 u6 5 4

vJ 10 3 2 vK 5

wA 10 6 wQ 7

SOUTH

xA K 7

uA Q 9

vQ 9 6 4

w9 8 5

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 3NT Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Three of u

Don’t think of those players sitting to your right and left at the bridge table as your mortal enemies. Sometimes you will need their help, and sometimes they will oblige.

The auction was straightforward. South had a dead-minimum one-no-trump opening, and North had a good raise to three no trump.

Note that with two touching honors West made the correct opening of a low heart from four cards, not one of the honors. Declarer won in hand and, with only six fast tricks, set about establishing some club tricks. He led a low club to the jack, losing to the queen. East shifted to a spade, taken in the closed hand. A club to the king won and another club to the ace set up two club tricks as East parted with a spade, giving declarer his nine tricks, but an overtrick was now the focus.

West returned a spade. Declarer won, crossed to dummy with a heart and cashed his long clubs, East parting with two more spades. Declarer returned to hand with a heart and exited with his remaining spade. East won, but was forced to lead a diamond away from the king, giving South his overtrick. That was good enough for 72 percent of the matchpoints.

2010 Tribune Media Services