bridge

May 18, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK 8 4

uJ 9 6

v7 6 4 3

wA Q 3

WEST EAST

xQ 10 6 xJ 3

uK 8 5 uA 7 4 2

vQ J 9 5 vK 10 8 2

w7 6 4 w10 9 5

SOUTH

xA 9 7 5 2

uQ 10 3

wK J 8 2

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 1NT Pass

2w Pass 3x Pass

4x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of v

This week we will focus on trump control. This deal is a typical example of how careful one must be.

North’s jump in spades following a one-no-trump response shows a limit raise in spades with specifically three-card support. South has an easy raise to game.

West leads the queen of diamonds and when dummy appears it seems the hand is unbeatable provided the outstanding trumps break 3-2. After winning the ace of diamonds declarer cashes the two high trumps and the suit breaks normally. It might now seem that declarer can surrender a trump trick and then go about his business. Not so.

On winning the trump West can force South to ruff a diamond. Then, on winning the first heart, the defenders remove declarer’s last trump with another diamond lead. Now, when they win the second heart, they can score at least one diamond trick.

Correct is to cash the two high spades and then, leaving the defenders with the master trump, start establishing a heart trick immediately. The defenders can win and force South with a diamond, but he plays a second heart, establishing a winner while he still has two trumps in hand. After ruffing the next diamond declarer simply cashes his side-suit winners, and he still has a trump to guard against another diamond lead. Try it.

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