bridge

bridge

East-West vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xQ 9 8 6 4

uA 7

vK 3

wK 4 3 2

WEST EAST

xA 10 2 xK J 7 5

uK Q J 8 3 u10 9 4 2

vQ 10 6 5 v9 2

w8 w9 7 5

SOUTH

x3

u6 5

vA J 8 7 4

wA Q J 10 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v 1u 1x Pass

2w Pass 4w Pass

5w Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of u

Playing at five clubs, declarer’s problem was simple. With a sure loser in each major, all South had to do to assure his contract was to avoid losing a diamond trick. The solution was not quite as easy to find.

With an opening bid facing a partner who had opened and a fit for partner’s second suit, North was able to describe his hand nicely with a jump to four clubs. South had no ambitions beyond game.

West led the king of hearts, taken with dummy’s ace. The king and ace of diamonds were cashed, and a diamond was ruffed with the king of trumps, a precaution that proved necessary when East failed to follow. Declarer drew two rounds of trumps and all would have been plain sailing had the suit split evenly, or had West held the length. Unfortunately, East held the three trumps so, when declarer tried to ruff another diamond, East overruffed and the defenders took their major-suit tricks for a one-trick set.

Declarer looked for the wrong ruff. Instead of ruffing the third diamond, declarer should have discarded a heart from the board! Now declarer can ruff a heart with dummy’s last trump to fulfill the contract. Easy if you see it!

2011 Tribune Media Services