BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK 10

uQ 5 3

vK Q 9 7

wK Q J 10

WEST EAST

xA 8 7 5 4 x9 6 3 2

uJ uK 9 4

v6 3 2 v8 5 4

w7 4 3 2 w9 6 5

SOUTH

xQ J

uA 10 8 7 6 2

vA J 10

wA 8

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u Pass 3NT Pass

4w Pass 5u Pass

6u Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ace of x

After an aggressive auction, North-South reached an optimistic contract of six hearts. There are more than enough winners. The fly in the ointment is that there are two possible losers.

First, if West has the king of trumps, you have a certain trump loser in addition to the spade trick already lost. Therefore, give East that card. Your problem now is how to handle the jack of trumps. If trumps are 2-2, you have a certain trump loser. There is only one distribution that will allow you to get home — West must hold the knave singleton. So play for that distribution.

Win the spade continuation and lead the queen of trumps. If East follows with a low trump, run the queen and, when West drops the jack, repeat the finesse and claim the contract. If East covers the queen, win with the ace and cross to the table and the finesse for the nine. Six hearts bid and made with a slice of luck!

2012 Tribune Media Services