bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x10 8

u6 4 3

v9 7 5 2

w8 6 4 2

WEST EAST

x9 7 6 x4 2

u9 8 5 uK 10 7 2

vK J 4 vQ 10 8

wQ J 10 3 wA K 7 5

SOUTH

xA K Q J 5 3

uA Q J

vA 6 3

w9

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2w Pass 2v Pass

2x Pass 3w Pass

4x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of w

Finesses come in many forms. Declarer spotted the crucial one on this deal to land an aggressive four-spade game.

South’s two clubs was an artificial game force — justified with only four losers in hand — and the two-diamond response was a waiting bid. Three clubs was a conventional second negative and, since either a doubleton diamond or the queen would offer play for game, South elected to contract for 10 tricks.

West led the queen of clubs and dummy had only one bright spot — the trump holding. The ten was an entry to the table for a heart finesse, and a doubleton king with East would assure the game. But that was distinctly against the odds, so declarer cast around for something better. The eight of spades offered a ray of hope.

West continued with a second round of clubs, and declarer took care to ruff with a spade honor. Next came the key play — declarer led a trump and, when West followed low, the eight was finessed. When that held declarer was halfway home. A heart to the queen won, dummy was reentered with the ten of trumps and the heart finesse was repeated. When that held, the contract was home.

What if the trump finesse failed? With a vulnerable game on the line, an extra 100 points for a second undertrick was a small price to pay!

2011 Tribune Media Services