bridge

bridge

Neither vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xQ 9 4

uK J 7 6 5

vA K 9 8 7

wVoid

WEST EAST

xJ 8 7 5 x6 2

uA 4 uQ 10 9 8 2

v6 5 4 vQ J 10 2

wK J 10 3 wQ 2

SOUTH

xA K 10 3

u3

v3

wA 9 8 7 6 5 4

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Pass 2w Pass

2v Pass 2x Pass

3v Pass 3x Pass

4x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ace of u

When your total winners are several short of the number required to fulfill your contract, it is often necessary to resort to a crossruff. Here is a classic example of how to go about it.

South’s two spades was fourth-suit forcing, so three spades did not promise more than a four-card suit. North’s hand was far more useful at a suit contract than no trump, so he proceeded to four spades knowing full well that partner might have to manage a 4-3 fit. West led the ace of hearts and continued with the four. When the king held, declarer could count only four side-suit winners, so the trump suit would have to produce six more tricks if the game were to succeed, and a crossruff was the only way to accomplish that.

The first thing to do when planning to crossruff is to cash your side-suit winners. After taking the ace and king of diamonds, declarer ruffed a diamond low — in view of the opening lead and continuation, trying to ruff a heart was too dangerous. Ace of clubs and a club ruffed low left declarer in a position to claim four more trump tricks regardless of the distribution.

Two red cards were ruffed in the closed hand with the ace and king, sandwiched around a club ruff in dummy with the queen. Declarer now had nine tricks and still had the nine of trumps in dummy and the ten in hand. Another club was ruffed with the nine. If that held, it was the fulfilling trick; if East overruffed, declarer’s ten would be established for the 10th trick.

2011 Tribune Media Services