bridge

September 26, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xA K Q 10 5

u8 7 4

v7 4 2

wQ 4

WEST EAST

x7 xJ 9 8 6 3

uK Q J 9 5 3 u10

vJ 5 3 vA 9

w9 3 2 wK J 10 7 5

SOUTH

x4 2

uA 6 2

vK Q 10 8 6

wA 8 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v 2u 2x Pass

3v Pass 3u Pass

3NT Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of u

This deal is from a match between Poland and Russia. The Polish declarer erred on the side of caution and paid a heavy price.

North-South arrived at a slightly aggressive contract of three no-trump when North decided to treat his hand as good enough to force to game by cue-bidding three hearts. As the cards lie, the game cannot be defeated, given the opening lead, but the Russian defenders made the most of a chance presented to them.

West led the king of hearts and declarer decided no harm could come to him from a one-round holdup, just in case West has pre-empted with a five-card suit. West continued with a high heart and East jettisoned the ace of diamonds! Declarer won and tried the spade suit, but when that failed to break, he fell back on diamonds. Eventually West gained the lead with the jack of diamonds and cashed out the hearts — down one.

The defense was certainly spectacular and brilliant but, double-dummy, the contract still had a chance. Suppose that, after winning the ace of hearts, declarer cashes just one diamond and then plays off two rounds of spades, discovering the break. Now declarer exits with a low spade from dummy, forcing East to win.

East must return a black suit and, after a spade or a low club, declarer is in command. In the five-card ending, West is in trouble. The defender must come down to a singleton heart, but that allows declarer to set up a long diamond for the fulfilling trick. If West retains two hearts, two diamonds and one club, South cashes the ace of clubs, then endplays West in hearts to set up a long diamond for the fulfilling trick. If West retains two cards in each red suit, declarer cashes the ace of clubs, then throws West in with a heart for a lead away from the diamond jack in to the Q 10.

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