bridge

bridge

East-West vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

x10 4 2

uK Q

v4 2

wA Q J 9 4 3

WEST EAST

xQ 8 6 xA 9 3

u9 4 u8 7 6 5 3

vQ 9 8 5 3 vK 10 6

w6 5 2 wK 7

SOUTH

xK J 7 5

uA J 10 2

vA J 7

w10 8

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Pass 1u Pass

2w Pass 3NT Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Five of v

We will again feature some of Eddie Kantar’s hands from his “Thinking Bridge” series, designed for players eager to improve their game. These were published in the Daily Bulletins at the recent Summer North American Championships in Toronto.

“East is strong enough, at least in high-card points, to overcall one heart, but the suit is so emaciated! As South, respond one heart with four hearts and four spades. If partner doesn’t rebid one spade, the inference is that partner does not have four spades. Note that some players rebid one no trump with a 4-3-3-3 hand pattern and do not deny four spades. With 5-5 in the majors, start with one spade and rebid hearts.

“As East, play the diamond king when dummy has low cards. Don’t even think of playing the ten. If the king holds, return the ten, the higher of two remaining cards. When you later get in with the club king, and assuming you have no diamonds left, shift to a low spade, trying to get partner to cash those two remaining diamonds. As West, after winning the queen of diamonds at trick two, if you shift to a low spade and partner wins and returns a spade, you defeat the contract. Nobody in any of my classes has ever done this.

“As South, the club finesse is headed into East, who has denied the diamond queen with the play of the king, so hold up in diamonds to deplete East of diamonds in case he has the king of clubs. [Murphy’s Law: East will have the king of clubs.]

“After the holdup play and losing the club finesse, rise with the king of spades when East shifts to a low spade. You can’t make the contract if West has the ace of spades, so play East for it! When one opponent has the setting trick[s] and you are missing an ace, play the opponent who does not have the setting trick[s] for the ace. Makes sense, doesn’t it?”

For information about ”Thinking Bridge” and other Kantar writings, go to www.kantarbridge.com.

2011 Tribune Media Services