bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

xK Q 8

u6 2

vK Q J 8 4

w8 6 3

WEST EAST

x9 6 5 xA J 10 3

u8 7 u9 5 4

v10 9 5 vA 7 2

wJ 10 7 4 2 wA 9 5

SOUTH

x7 4 2

uA K Q J 10 3

v6 3

wK Q

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1w 1u Pass 2v

Pass 3u Pass 4u

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Jack of w

The thrust and parry of defender and declarer for ascendancy can be fascinating. This deal is an excellent example.

Brushing aside East’s opening bid, North-South reached the excellent contract of four hearts. The opening lead was the only clue South needed to land the game, despite superb defense.

West led the jack of clubs, East rose with the ace and found the sterling defense of returning the jack of spades, the table’s queen winning. Since the opening bid marked East with all three missing aces, the only outside entry to dummy’s diamond suit was now removed before it could be put to use, and declarer was in danger of losing two spade tricks to go with the minor suit aces.

To land the contract, declarer needed an endplay, and to accomplish that declarer needed to find East with a very favorable distribution in order to remove all his safe exit cards. Trumps were drawn in three rounds, declarer carefully discarding a diamond from the table, and the remaining club honor was cashed. A diamond to the jack forced East to hold up to prevent declarer setting up discards on the suit, but declarer took advantage of being in dummy to ruff a club. Luckily, that removed East’s remaining card in the suit.

A diamond to the queen was the last nail in East’s coffin. After winning the ace, the defender had to bring the table back to life with either a spade or a diamond as the fulfilling trick. Four hearts bid and made!

2012 Tribune Media Services