bridge

bridge

Neither vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xJ 7 4 2

u4 3

vQ J 10 8

w7 4 2

WEST EAST

xA K Q 10 8 x9 6 5 3

uK 8 uJ 9

vK 9 7 5 v6 3 2

w8 3 wQ J 10 9

SOUTH

xVoid

uA Q 10 7 6 5 2

vA 4

wA K 6 5

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2w 2x Pass 3x

4u Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of x

If you fancy your declarer play, cover the East-West hands and follow the text below, answering each question as we pose it.

With only 17 points in high cards, would you open the South hand with a game-forcing two clubs? That action is justified by the fact that you hold a three-loser hand. The rest of the auction is natural, though as East we might have chosen four spades if we were going to pre-empt.

Against four hearts, West leads the king of spades. Do you ruff this trick?

There is no reason in the world not to. What next?

You are going to draw trumps, so it might as well be sooner as later. Luckily, the suit breaks evenly. West wins the king and exits with a spade, which you ruff. What now?

If clubs are 3-3, you are home, losing one trick in each suit except spades. Should you go after clubs now?

The odds on an even club split are about 35 percent. Considering the auction, an endplay seems a better bet. Can you maneuver one?

Cash the ace and king of clubs and ace of diamonds and then continue with a low diamond. When West wins, can he avoid the endplay by exiting with the queen of spades?

Definitely not! You do not have to ruff this trick. Simply discard a club loser and West must do your work for you. Whether he continues with a spade or leads a diamond, your remaining club loser goes away on dummy’s winner in the suit led, and the contract is home.

2011 Tribune Media Services