Bridge

March 5, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Bridge

East-West vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xA 6

uA 6 4

vJ 7 4

wA 10 9 6 4

WEST EAST

xQ 10 8 2 xJ 9 7 4

uJ 8 3 uQ 10 9 5 2

vA 10 5 vK 9 3 2

wQ 8 7 wVoid

SOUTH

xK 5 3

uK 7

vQ 8 6

wK J 5 3 2

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Pass 2NT Pass

3NT Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Two of x

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

“Some play a two-no-trump response to a minor-suit opening shows 13-15 HCP, a game force. Others play the response shows 11-12 HCP and is not a game force. This hand sort of fits both methods, because the five-card suit ups the strength of the South hand. North, with a strongish five-card suit, has enough to risk three no-trump even facing an 11-12 point hand.

“Playing fourth-highest leads, the lead of a 2 shows a four-card suit. This information can help both declarer and the third hand. This time it helps declarer more.

“To make this contract, you need five club tricks. That’s easy enough if the suit breaks 2-1. But what if they are 3-0? Now it is important to know who has the length. If you suspect that it is East, start with the ace. If you suspect it is West, start with the king.

“Any clues? Yes. West is known to have four spades. In order for West to be void in clubs, he must have a side suit of five cards or more. If West had a side five-card suit, why didn’t he lead it? Ergo, West cannot logically be void in clubs. Start with the king of clubs. Guess what? It is East with the club void. After finessing West for the queen of clubs, you take five clubs, two spades and two hearts. Nine big ones.

“When the lead against a no-trump contract is from a known four-card suit, the opening leader is very unlikely to have a side-suit void.”

SCrt 2010 Tribune Media Services