Sunday, December 30, 2012
BRIDGE
Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
xJ 7 3 2
u4 2
v8 7 6 5 2
w6 3
WEST EAST
x4 x8 6 5
uK J 6 uQ 10 8 7 5 3
vK Q J 9 4 v10 3
wQ 10 7 2 w9 8
SOUTH
xA K Q 10 9
uA 9
vA
wA K J 5 4
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
2w Pass 2v Pass
2x Pass 4x Pass
6x Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of v
The winning line on this deal involves no magical ability. It is simply spotting the danger to the contract.
South’s two clubs is an artificial game force and two diamonds is negative. The rest of the auction is natural, with the jump to four spades showing a minimum of four trumps but denying any ace, king, singleton or void. There is no problem making 12 tricks if trumps are 2-2, but how do you handle the likely 3-1 split?
West led the king of diamonds and declarer won perforce. Since an even trump division combined with clubs breaking no worse than 4-2 presents no problem, declarer correctly played the ace and king of spades next. When West showed out, how should declarer continue?
Obviously, clubs had to be established, so South played off the ace and king of the suit then ruffed a club with the jack of spades. East’s heart discard meant that another club ruff in dummy would be futile. East would overruff and declarer would be stranded with a heart loser.
Declarer found the winning line in quick time. Returning to hand with the ace of hearts, declarer led a fourth club and discarded a heart from the table!
The defenders had no counter. As long as East originally held at least four hearts, declarer could win any return and ruff a heart in dummy for the fulfilling trick. It would then be an easy matter to enter the closed hand with a diamond ruff, draw the outstanding trump and claim the rest of the tricks.
2012 Tribune Media Services