bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x9 5 2

uQ 10 7

vA Q 8 4

wK 9 3

WEST EAST

xA K 8 6 4 3 xJ 10

uA 5 2 u6 4

v7 6 vJ 10 5 3

wQ 5 w10 8 6 4 2

SOUTH

xQ 7

uK J 9 8 3

vK 9 2

wA J 7

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u 1x 2x Pass

4u Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of x

To take care of things immediately is not always best at the bridge table. Your motto might well be: “Never put off until tomorrow what you can leave until the day after!”

North’s two-spade cue-bid promised a limit raise or better in hearts. Despite a potentially useless queen of spades, South elected to treat his hand as a sound minimum, and four hearts became the final contract. The ace and king of spades were cashed, East following with the jack and ten. A third spade was ruffed by East with the six and overruffed by declarer.

Since South still had to concede a trick to the ace of trumps, the fate of the contract hinged on not losing a club trick. That could be accomplished either if diamonds split 3-3 or the club finesse succeeded.

First, trumps had to be drawn. A low heart was led. West pounced with the ace and exited with a heart, East discarding a club. Declarer won and drew the last trump, forcing another discard from East. Should South now play on diamonds or clubs?

Neither! Before tackling either suit declarer should cash the last trump! West can let go a spade in comfort, and dummy can part with a club. East must hold onto four diamonds so must let go another club. Three high diamonds are cashed, ending in dummy, as West parts with another spade. Now the king of clubs is cashed, to which everyone follows, and another club is led. When East produces the ten, should declarer finesse or rise with the ace?

The hand is an open book. East’s cards are a diamond and a club, and West’s a spade and a club. Shoot up with the ace of clubs to drop the queen and claim the contract!

2012 Tribune Media Services