Bridge

bridge

East-West vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x10 8 4

uA K 6 2

vK 7 5

w10 7 2

WEST EAST

xK Q J 6 5 2 x3

uJ 5 u10 9 3

v9 6 vQ J 4 3 2

wJ 5 3 wA 9 8 6

SOUTH

xA 9 7

uQ 8 7 4

vA 10 8

wK Q 4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 2w Pass

2u Pass 4u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of x

“An amusing hand,” remarked the kibitzer. “Unless spades break 6-1, the contract probably cannot be made!” This is the hand in question, with one of the world’s great players in the South seat.

North’s decision to check for a heart fit is a tad unusual — normally you would simply raise to three no trump with a hand that contains no ruffing value but the strength for game. That would certainly be the winning action here since nine tricks present no problem as the cards lie with the ace of clubs favorably placed.

Declarer won the opening spade lead with the ace, crossed to the king of hearts and led a club, inserting the king when East followed low. When that held, the queen and ace of hearts were cashed, West discarding a spade, and another club was led, East rose with the ace and exited with a club to South’s queen.

By now declarer had an almost complete count of the hand. East’s failure to return a spade made it a moral certainty that he had started with a singleton in the suit, and that, therefore, West had started with six spades and had followed to three clubs and only two hearts, accounting for 11 of his cards. That left room for at most two diamonds in the West hand.

Declarer now finished matters off by cashing the ace and king of diamonds before exiting with a spade. West could bank two tricks in the suit, but then was forced to give declarer a ruff-sluff, and the diamond loser went the way of all flesh! Declarer lost only three tricks in the black suits.

2011 Tribune Media Services