bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xA J 3 2

u7 6 5

vJ 6 4

w9 3 2

WEST EAST

xQ 8 7 5 xK 10 9

uQ 10 uJ 9 8 4

vQ 10 7 3 2 vA 9 5

w10 7 wQ J 6

SOUTH

x6 4

uA K 3 2

vK 8

wA K 8 5 4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w Pass 1x Pass

2u Pass 2NT Pass

3w Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Three of v

If you want to combine two chances for your contract, make sure you time the hand correctly. This deal illustrates the point.

In the modern style, South’s reverse to two hearts was forcing for one round. Since an immediate rebid of three clubs would have been a game force, the two-no-trump rebid announced a minimum response, and South signed off in three clubs.

After West’s opening lead of a low diamond, declarer could count at least one loser in each suit. To make the contract, declarer needed to find trumps 3-2 and to limit the heart losers to one. If the suit split 4-2, declarer would need to ruff a heart in dummy.

East won the opening lead with ace of diamonds and returned the nine, taken by declarer’s king. Since South could not afford to give up control of trumps, he cashed only one top trump. Declarer then made the key play of leading a low heart from hand! Had declarer played ace, king and another heart, he would be defeated if East wins the third heart and continues with a fourth round since West can ruff higher than dummy.

East did as well as possible by winning the heart and returning a trump, but declarer was in control when West followed suit. The ace and king of hearts were cashed and a heart was ruffed in dummy. Had a defender been able to ruff one of those tricks, it would have made no difference. Declarer would have lost only one trick in each suit.

2010 Tribune Media Services