bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x3 2

u9 5

vQ 8 7 6 5

w9 5 4 3

WEST EAST

xK 8 4 x7

uA Q 8 2 uJ 10 6 3

v9 4 3 vK J 10 2

wQ 10 6 wJ 8 7 2

SOUTH

xA Q J 10 9 6 5

uK 7 4

vA

wA K

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2w Pass 2v Pass

2x Pass 3w Pass

4x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Three of v

Even as a double dummy problem, it is not easy to see how four spades can be made after a diamond lead. Nevertheless, the contract was made at the table, so see if you would do the same.

The first round of bidding was artificial. South’s two spades showed a strong two bid in the major and North’s three clubs was conventionally negative. With nine sure tricks in hand, South jumped to game.

West led a diamond and South was disappointed that North produced the wrong red queen. Still, there was some hope. If the king of spades could be picked up or a heart ruffed in dummy, 10 tricks would be there.

After winning the ace of diamonds at trick one, declarer’s first move was to lead the king of hearts from hand — after all, once in a while a defender will choose to hold up the ace. No such luck. West grabbed the ace and shifted to a trump, declarer capturing the seven with the nine. While it was tempting to cash the ace of spades, that would have failed as the cards lie. Declarer did much better by exiting with a heart, and the defenders were helpless.

If East was allowed to win the heart, that defender could not remove dummy’s last trump and there would be no way to prevent declarer from ruffing a heart for the fulfilling trick. And, if West won, that defender could not remove dummy’s remaining trump without sacrificing his trump trick.

What if East won the king of hearts and returned a trump? At least declarer would be able to take a trump finesse for the contract, which is a great improvement over no chance at all.

2011 Tribune Media Services