bridge

bridge

North-South vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

xK 8 7 6 3

uJ 10 5

v10 6 3

w8 2

WEST EAST

xQ J 10 9 2 xA 5

u7 6 2 u4

vJ vA Q 9 8 5 2

wA Q J 5 w10 7 6 4

SOUTH

x4

uA K Q 9 8 3

vK 7 4

wK 9 3

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1v 1u 1x Pass

2v 2u 2x Pass

Pass 3u Dbl Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Jack of v

Many bridge players are reluctant to double partscore contracts lest the opponents wrap up a game by bringing home the bacon. That, in turn, has led to a rash of overbids going unpunished. That was not the case here.

By competing twice, vulnerable, facing a partner who had passed, South painted a perfect picture of his holding. Bidding a third time invited a double and West was happy to oblige.

Left in two spades, declarer would surely have fulfilled the contract despite the 5-1 split. Against three hearts doubled, West led the jack of diamonds. East overtook with the ace returned the nine, on which declarer followed low (East was marked with the queen) and West ruffed.

The nine of spades was ducked in dummy, but East rose with the ace to return another diamond for West to ruff. That completed the defensive book and, even though declarer was able to discard a club on dummy’s king of spades, there were still club losers and the penalty was a healthy 500 points.

Note West’s lead of the nine of spades at the third trick. Had West returned the queen, East might have ducked and the contract would have been defeated only one trick.

2011 Tribune Media Services