43
bridge
bridge
Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
xQ J 9
uA Q 3
vA K J 4
w9 4 2
WEST EAST
xA K 6 4 x8 7 5 3 2
u7 5 u8 2
v9 6 2 vQ 10 5
wQ 10 8 3 wK J 7
SOUTH
x10
uK J 10 9 6 4
v8 7 3
wA 6 5
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
2u Pass 4u Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Ace of x
It is again time for us to run some of Eddie Kantar’s ”Thinking Bridge” deals, designed for players eager to improve their game and published in the Daily Bulletins of the Fall ACBL North American Championships in Seattle.
“South has a near maximum weak-two opening bid, and North has a choice of responses. A raise to four hearts is reasonable as is two no trump, asking for more information.
“If North tries two no trump, South bids three clubs, showing a feature — the ace or king. This might encourage North to bid three no trump, which happens to be cold.
“As East, give count in spades. After declarer has pre-empted or bid two suits and partner leads the ace, presumably from ace-king and dummy has the queen, third hand gives count playing the deuce — the lowest from an odd number of cards.
“As West, it looks right to switch to a low club. Partner figures to have an honor or two in the suit given the fact that South has a weak hand. As East play the king of clubs at trick two, the higher of unequal honors. If you had equal honors such as the queen-jack, you would play your lower equal.
“As South, you start with nine top tricks — six hearts, the diamond ace-king and the ace of clubs. Rather than pin your hopes on the diamond finesse, use dummy’s queen-jack of spades to develop your tenth trick.
“Win the ace of clubs, draw trumps ending in dummy and lead the queen of spades, discarding a club. West wins the king, cashes the queen of clubs and leads a third club that you ruff.
“All that is left is to cross to dummy with a diamond and discard a diamond on the jack of spades. No diamond finesse is necessary ...”
For more information on “Thinking Bridge” and other Kantar writings, go to www.kantarbridge.com.
2012 Tribune Media Services