bridge

bridge

East-West vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

x10 8 4

uA 6 4 2

vA Q J 10

wK 6

WEST EAST

xK 7 6 xA J 9 2

u7 3 uK 5

v9 4 2 v7 5 3

wQ J 10 3 2 w8 7 5 4

SOUTH

xQ 5 3

uQ J 10 9 8

vK 8 6

wA 9

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1u Pass

2u Pass 4u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of w

North-South reach four hearts on a normal auction. West’s lead of the queen of clubs is textbook, writes Eddie Kantar in “Thinking Bridge”:

“South does best to win with the ace of clubs and run the queen of hearts. As declarer, when leading one of various equal honors from the closed hand, lead the highest to encourage a cover; lead the second highest to discourage a cover. It works!

“You are East. When in with the king of hearts at trick two, looking at those diamonds in dummy, a spade shift is called for, but which spade? When dummy to your right has 10-x-(x), and you have the ten surrounded with the J 9 plus a higher unequal honor (king or ace), attack with your second-highest honor, the jack.

“Notice the repercussions of this lead. If declarer plays low, the jack wins the trick and the ace and king take the next two tricks. If declarer covers with the queen, and partner wins and returns the seven, dummy remains with 10 8 and you have A 9 2. Simply cover whichever spade is played, and your side collects three spades and a heart.

“It’s called a surrounding play!”

2010 Tribune Media Services