BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK

u7 6 2

v9 8 5 2

wA Q J 4 2

WEST EAST

xA 9 7 x8 6 5 4 3

uK Q 8 4 uJ 10 5

vJ 6 3 v10 7 4

w9 7 3 wK 6

SOUTH

xQ J 10 2

uA 9 3

vA K Q

w10 8 5

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 3NT Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Four of u

Equal and the same do not necessarily mean the same thing. To understand why this is so, cover the West and South hands and decide how to defend three no trump after West leads the four of hearts.

As East you play the ten, which wins the trick, and continue with the jack, on which declarer plays the nine and West follows with the eight. Declarer wins the third round of hearts with the ace as partner follows with the king.

Declarer now runs the ten of clubs to your king. You need to find an entry to partner’s hand. Do you return a spade or a diamond and why?

That depends entirely on what card West played to the third round of hearts! You know partner held both the king and queen, so he should give a suit-preference signal to remove the guesswork! The king would show he wants the higher-ranking suit, spades. The queen asks for a diamond return. If you return a spade, the contract goes down a trick. A diamond and declarer romps home with nine tricks — four in each minor and the ace of hearts.

2010 Tribune Media Services

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