bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK 10 8 7 4

uA K 9

vA 4 2

w6 3

WEST EAST

x5 x9 6

u8 6 uJ 10 5 2

vK J 8 5 3 v10 6

wK Q J 10 5 w9 8 7 4 2

SOUTH

xA Q J 3 2

uQ 7 4 3

vQ 9 7

wA

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x 2NT 3v 5w

Pass Pass 5u Pass

6x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of w

The Unusual Notrump, designed to describe a two- suited holding, is a two-edged sword. It can either produce enough information for profitable competition, or draw a picture of your hand for a perceptive declarer.

Many theorists believe that it should be used on only two types of hands: Either with so little defense that you want to sacrifice regardless, or where you are so good you mean to buy the contract. With hands that fall in- between, you do better to simply overcall. This deal is a sound argument for the latter opinion.

West’s two no trump was unusual, showing at least five cards in each minor. North’s three diamonds was a cue-bid agreeing spades as trumps. North refused to permit East to buy the hand and North-South reached the spade slam.

West led the king of clubs. Without the knowledge that West held at least 10 minor-suit cards and that suits were not breaking, South would probably have relied on an even heart split or, if hearts broke badly, finding the king of diamonds with East so that the queen would be the 12th trick. Unlucky.

Since neither chance was likely in view of the auction, declarer chose a different tack. After winning the first trick with the ace, declarer drew trumps with the ace and king, then ruffed the table’s club in hand.

Next came three rounds of hearts ending in dummy and, when West showed out on the last, declarer could virtually claim the slam.

A low diamond was led and, when East followed low, the nine was inserted. West won with the jack but had no good continuation. A club return would allow declarer to ruff in one hand while discarding a diamond from the other, while a diamond would be away from the king up to the queen.

Either way, South would lose only one diamond trick and the slam was home.

2011 Tribune Media Services