bridge

bridge

North-South vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

xK Q 10 9 3 2

uA Q 5 3

vVoid

wQ 9 6

WEST EAST

xVoid xJ 8 7 6 4

u10 9 6 4 2 uK J 8 7

vA Q J 9 7 v4 3 2

wA J 4 w2

SOUTH

xA 5

uVoid

vK 10 8 6 5

wK 10 8 7 5 3

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

Pass 1v Pass 1x

Pass 2w 2u 3u

4u 5w Dbl Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ten of u

This deal, reported by Barry Rigal, is from the Von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs at the ACBL Summer North American Championship. Sitting South was Steve Garner.

The auction was straightforward, but it did contain a clue to the distribution. When an expert backs into the auction on the second round, it is usually because he has length in opener’s first suit. Declarer put that knowledge to good use.

Declarer ruffed the heart opening lead and ran the seven of clubs successfully. After ruffing a diamond in dummy, he played the queen of clubs, losing to the ace. The heart return was ruffed and declarer ran his trumps, coming down to this position:

xK Q 10 9

uA Q

v --

w --

x -- xJ 8 7 6

u9 6 4 uK J

vA Q J v --

w -- w- --

xA 5

u --

vK 10 8 6

w --

Declarer cashed his three top spades, then threw East in with a spade for the second and last trick for the defense. East was forced to return a heart, and dummy took the last two tricks — five clubs doubled and made.

2010 Tribune Media Services