bridge

bridge

East-West vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x7 6

uA K 8 5

v10 7 3

wA K J 4

WEST EAST

xA 9 5 4 x3

u7 3 2 uQ J 10 9

vK Q 6 vA J 9 8

w10 8 7 wQ 5 3 2

SOUTH

xK Q J 10 8 2

u6 4

v5 4 2

w9 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2x Pass 2NT Pass

3x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of v

Here’s another deal from Eddie Kantar’s excellent series “Thinking Bridge,” designed for players anxious to improve their game.

South’s two spades is weak, two no trump asks for a feature, three spades denies one, and North gives up.

West leads the king of diamonds, East signals encouragement with the nine, and West continues with the queen, which East overtakes in case West has only two diamonds. Why hope partner has another card in a suit you want continued if you can overtake without costing a trick? After cashing three diamonds, East knows that South started with six spades, three diamonds and four “other” cards. “Other” cards is an important concept — it helps a defender think clearly. Whatever those four cards are, North has them covered with ace-king of both hearts and clubs. When there are no tricks coming from the side suits, think trump promotion, think uppercut, think ruff-sluff, and then lead the 13th diamond.

Say East leads a fourth diamond. Take a look at that spade suit. Assuming South ruffs high. West discards, and the nine of trumps morphs into a second spade trick — down one!

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

2012 Tribune Media Services