Sunday, July 31, 2011
bridge
Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTHxK J 8
u10 8 6 3
vA 5
wQ 10 7 4
WEST
x10 7 5 2 xA 9 6 3
uK uA 7
SOUTH
xQ 4
uQ J 9 5 4 2
vJ 3
wA K J
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
Pass Pass 1u Pass
3u Pass 4u Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of v
Do not go meekly into the night. Seize any chance to make your contract, no matter how remote. Even a 20 percent line rates to succeed one time in five!
North’s jump raise as a passed hand was invitational. Although the queen of spades and jack of diamonds were of doubtful value, the sixth trump just compensated enough for South to accept.
West’s lead of the king of diamonds seemingly struck a fatal blow to declarer — with any other lead South would have had time to set up a spade for a diamond discard. Now it seemed declarer would have to lose two trump tricks as well as a spade and a diamond.
However, there was one chance, and declarer went for it. If clubs were 3-3 and trumps 2-1 with the high trumps divided, the game could be rescued. There was the risk of going down two, but that would be a small price to pay for a chance to land the game.
Declarer won the opening lead with the ace of diamonds and immediately cashed the ace and king of clubs. The jack of clubs was overtaken with the queen and, when both defenders followed, the worst was over.
Declarer led the 13th club from dummy, discarding a diamond from hand. It made no difference which defender ruffed this trick. If West ruffed with the king, declarer would later force out the ace and draw the remaining trump; if East ruffed low and declarer discarded a diamond, the ace and king of trumps would crash as soon as declarer regained the lead to play a trump. Either way, declarer lost only two trump tricks and a spade.
2011 Tribune Media Services