bridge
bridge
East-West vulnerable. West deals.
NORTH
x10 8 3
u7 4
vQ 8 7
wK J 9 8 6
WEST EAST
x6 5 xQ J 9 4 2
uVoid uK J 2
vK J 10 6 3 2 vA 5 4
wA Q 7 5 4 w3 2
SOUTH
xA K 7
uA Q 10 9 8 6 5 3
v9
w10
The bidding:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1v Pass 1x 4u
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Ace of w
Bridge is a happy exception to the old saw: “Those who can, play. Those who can’t, write!” Watch Patrick Jourdain, former editor of the International Bridge Press Association Bulletin, at work on this deal from the Welsh Multiple Teams Championship.
The bidding was straightforward and, as the cards lie, it might seem that the defenders are entitled to five tricks — two in trumps and one in each side suit. The opening lead of the ace of clubs did no harm but, with only one club missing, West tried to give East a club ruff. That was not a happy decision.
Dummy’s king won as declarer discarded his losing diamond. Now the only threat to the contract was a 3-0 trump split. Had declarer led the seven of trumps from the table, it is quite possible that East would have covered with an honor to hold declarer to 10 tricks, so South made the duplicitous lead of the four of hearts!
Lulled into overconfidence, East followed with the two, and declarer took the safety finesse by inserting the three! When that held, the lead was still in dummy so South could repeat the finesse and now had 11 tricks! On the run of the trumps, the thoroughly frazzled defender in the East seat held onto the ace of diamonds, so South’s seven of spades became the 12th trick.
At the other table West led the jack of diamonds against four hearts and, when that held, continued with the ten, ruffed in the closed hand. In an attempt to get to dummy declarer led his singleton club. West rose with the ace and locked declarer in hand with another diamond. Eventually declarer had to concede down two.
2011 Tribune Media Services