bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xA 10 4 3

u8 6 4

vA K 7 2

wK 2

WEST EAST

xQ J 9 8 2 x7 5

uK 10 7 uA Q 9 2

v10 6 vQ J 9 8

w6 4 3 wA 8 7

SOUTH

xK 6

uJ 5 3

v5 4 3

wQ J 10 9 5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1NT Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of x

Here’s another deal from Eddie Kantar’s award-winning series “Thinking Bridge,” designed for players who are eager to improve their game.

“South is not strong enough to bid clubs and North is not strong enough to bid again after South responds one no trump.

“The lead is clear cut. The queen is led from suits headed by the Q J 10 or Q J 9. If the third card is lower than the nine, fourth-highest is led. As an aside, when the response to one diamond is one no trump, responder frequently has long clubs.

“As declarer, looking only at spades [a big mistake], the proper spade to play is to win the first trick with the king and later lead low to the 10 to garner three spade tricks. But at what price? By going for three spade tricks, you have laid the club suit to rest! If East wins the second club, taking dummy’s last club with the ace, you cannot get back to your hand to cash your three winning clubs. You wind up with one club trick instead of four! Best is to win the ace of spades and lead the king of clubs. Even if East expertly wins the second club, you still have the king of spades to get back to your precious clubs. Playing properly, you score four clubs, two spades and the ace-king of diamonds for eight tricks. If you win the king of spades at trick one and East wins the second club, you have only six tricks!

“When declarer tries to set up a suit in the closed hand [clubs], and dummy has two cards in that suit, a strong defender holding the ace or king does best to win the second round. This may make it difficult for declarer to return to the closed hand to take winning tricks.”

2011 Tribune Media Services