bridge

July 27, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x10 9 5

uA K J 4

vA K 9 7 2

WESTEAST

xK 3xA J 8 4 2

u9 8 3 2uQ 10 7

v5vJ 8 6 4

wQ 10 7 5 4 3wJ

SOUTH

xQ 7 6

u6 5

vQ 10 3

wA 9 8 6 2

The bidding:

SOUTHWESTNORTHEAST

PassPass1v1x

1NTPass3NTPass

PassPass

Opening lead: 4 of w

This deal, from the 2009 Cavendish Invitational, features spectacular defense by East, Poland’s Josef Piekarek. Had West started by leading his partner’s suit, it would have required double-dummy play by declarer to land nine tricks. After the club lead, however, he had good play.

Declarer won the club opening perforce in dummy and cashed his high diamonds before throwing East on lead with a fourth round of the suit. This was now the position:

NORTH

x10 9 5

uA K J 4

w--

WESTEAST

xK 3xA J 8 4 2

u9 8 3uQ 10 7

v- --v- --

wQ 10 7w--

SOUTH

xQ 7 6

u6 5

v- --

wA 9 8

East found the killing return — the jack of spades! Declarer was helpless. If he covered with the queen, the defenders would take two high spades and then put dummy on lead with a third round. Eventually declarer would have to put East on lead with a heart to cash his winning spades.

If declarer ducked, East would continue with a spade to partner’s king, and a heart return would lock declarer in dummy, with the same result. The defenders took three spades and a trick in each red suit.

2010 Tribune Media Services