Bridge

May 2, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Bridge

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

uA K 6 4 3

vA 9 6 4

wA K Q

WEST EAST

x9 5 xK J 7

uJ 9 7 uQ 10 8

vK Q J 8 v10 7 5 2

w10 7 4 2 wJ 9 3

SOUTH

xA Q 10 8 6 4 2

u5 2

w8 6 5

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

3x Pass 5NT Pass

7w Pass 7x Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of v

The club members were convinced that the god of fools and idiots had a particularly soft spot for Tommy. No matter how ridiculous some of his contracts were, he seemed destined to succeed. As our readers know, Tommy was, at best, an average player who shone only when the trump suit posed a particular problem.

Seven spades was not a beautiful contract. At this vulnerability, North, who had mis-sorted his cards, expected Tommy to have a better hand. Five no trump was the Grand Slam force and seven clubs promised two of the three top trump honors.

West led the king of diamonds and, when dummy appeared, Tommy found the king of clubs hidden behind the three of spades and carefully restored it to its rightful place. The play then proceeded apace.

The king of diamonds was taken with the ace and the three of spades was led to the ten. A heart to the ace was followed by a diamond ruff, a heart to the king provided the entry for a heart ruff, and the ace and king of clubs allowed Tommy to get to the table for two more diamond ruffs as the defenders followed helplessly to all these tricks.

By now Tommy was down to the A-Q of spades and a club while East held K-J of trumps and a club. Tommy crossed to dummy with his remaining club to lead a heart, and East’s K-J of spades were trapped in front of Tommy’s A-Q, allowing him to score the last two tricks. For Tommy, just another routine grand slam!

2010 Tribune Media Services