bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. West deals.

NORTH

x10 8 6

uQ 6 5 4

vK J 8 5 3

wA

WEST EAST

xA 5 4 3 xQ J 9 7

uJ 10 3 uA 2

v10 7 2 v9 6

wK Q 4 w9 7 6 3 2

SOUTH

xK 2

uK 9 8 7

vA Q 4

wJ 10 8 5

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Pass Pass Pass 1w

Pass 1v Pass 1u

Pass 3u Pass 4u

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of C

More often than not, if you need a particular card to be well placed if your contract is to succeed, you must assume that that lie of the cards exists. Once in a while, however, you might be able to get home no matter which defender has the missing card, as long as you can place it. Here’s a case in point.

A routine invitational auction landed South in a contract of four hearts. West led the king of clubs, and declarer saw at once that the contract was easy if East held the ace of spades. But what if that card was with West? In that case declarer was in danger of losing two tricks in each major suit. He had to find out which defender was more likely to hold the ace of trumps.

The opening lead marked West, a passed hand, for the king-queen of clubs. If he held the ace of spades as well, there was just one chance for the contract — East would have to hold the doubleton ace of trumps!

Suiting the deed to the logic, declarer won the first trick in dummy perforce and immediately led a low heart to the king and, when that held, continued with a trump, ducking in dummy. When that fetched the ace from East, the contract sailed home.

2010 Tribune Media Services

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