bridge

June 11, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

East-West vulnerable. West deals.

NORTH

x7 3

uK Q 6 5

vA 9 4

wA 9 7 6

WEST EAST

xK Q 10 9 5 2 xJ 8 6

u9 4 uJ 10 8 7

vQ 8 3 vJ 7 5 2

w5 2 w4 3

SOUTH

xA 4

uA 3 2

vK 10 6

wK Q J 10 8

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

2xDbl Pass 6w

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of x

Here’s another deal from Eddie Kantar’s excellent series “Thinking Bridge,” designed for players anxious to improve their game.

“Of course, there are other ways of bidding the South hand, but six clubs figures to be a reasonable contract facing almost any sane takeout double of two spades. Counting losers, you have two — a spade and a diamond. So far, so good. Your losers and winners add up to 13.

“You have several chances to make the contract, including the unlikely Q J of diamonds doubleton. On a good day, hearts will break 3-3, but even if they don’t you still have a throw-in play available to force the opponents to break diamonds. Win the ace of spades. Notice that both you and dummy each remains with one spade, the perfect setting for an eventual throw-in play: an evenly divided suit with a loser. Draw trumps, and play three rounds of hearts. Assuming hearts don’t break (otherwise you have 12 tricks), ruff a heart, stripping hearts from both your hand and dummy, and exit with your spade, forcing a diamond return.

“Take a good look at diamonds. You are missing Q J and your opponents have to lead the suit. No matter which diamond they lead (an honor is their best chance) your best bet is to play for split honors. For example, if West wins the spade exit and leads a low diamond, play low from dummy and capture East’s jack and lead a low diamond to the nine, playing West for the queen. If West exits with the queen of diamonds, win the ace in dummy and lead a low diamond to the ten, playing East for the jack.”

For more about “Thinking Bridge” and other Kantar writings, go to www.kantarbridge.com.

2010 Tribune Media Services