BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xA 6 3

u7 6 2

vK Q J 9 4

wQ 5

WEST EAST

xJ 9 7 2 x4

uQ J 9 3 uA K 8 4

v8 5 v7 6 3

wK 9 4 w10 8 7 3 2

SOUTH

xK Q 10 8 5

u10 5

vA 10 2

wA J 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1xPass 2v Pass

3v Pass 4x Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of u

Boy Scouts should make good bridge players. Their motto ”Be Prepared” should be the guiding light for all knights of the green baize.

With only three-card support for partner’s spade suit, North did not consider his hand worth a forcing spade raise. However, when South raised diamonds at his second turn, the double fit improved North’s holding and made the hand good enough to jump to game.

West led the queen of hearts and the defenders quickly banked two heart tricks. Declarer ruffed the third heart, cashed the king and ace of spades and was floored by the 4-1 break. There was now no way to draw trumps and run the diamonds, and declarer had to concede down one.

South’s line would have been successful against a 3-2 trump break or a 4-1 break if East held the long trumps, but it failed to take the actual distribution into account.

After ruffing the third heart, the winning line is to cash the king-queen of trumps and, on learning the bad break, abandon spades and start on diamonds.

A defender can ruff at any time and force declarer with another heart, but declarer can ruff in hand, cross to dummy with the ace of spades, in the process drawing the last outstanding trump and cash the remaining diamonds and ace of clubs for 10 tricks. Count them!

2012 Tribune Media Services