bridge

March 9, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xQ 10 6 4

uA K 3 2

vA Q J 10

WESTEAST

xK 5xA J 2

u5 4uQ 10 8

v8 7 5 3v9 6 4

wK Q 9 6 3wJ 10 8 5

SOUTH

x9 8 7 3

uJ 9 7 6

vK 2

wA 7 4

The bidding:

SOUTHWESTNORTH EAST

PassPass 1vPass

1uPass4u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of w

One of the anomalies of playing five-card majors is that the weaker hand often becomes declarer. (Incidentally, even if you play four-card majors, the correct opening bid here is one heart to ensure that you don’t miss a 4-4 fit in either major.) With a hand worth 19 points mostly prime, four hearts is the recommended rebid with the North cards.

One good look at the North hand was enough to convince declarer to play along dummy reversal lines. He won the opening lead with the ace of clubs and ruffed a club on the table. The ace and king of hearts were cashed and, when the suit broke 3-2, it was all over but the shouting.

Declarer returned to hand with the king of diamonds and ruffed the remaining club. Next, declarer ran the diamonds, discarding spades from hand. Whether or not East ruffed the fourth diamond, the defenders could not score more than two spades and a trump trick.

SCrt 2010 Tribune Media Services