bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x8 3 2

uJ 10 8

v8

wK 7 6 5 3 2

WEST EAST

x10 9 6 xQ J 7 5

uK 3 u6 5

vA 10 6 5 3 vQ J 9

wQ 9 8 wA J 10 4

SOUTH

xA K 4

uA Q 9 7 4 2

vK 7 4 2

wVoid

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u Pass 2u Pass

4u Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ten of x

South, declarer at four hearts, was on the right track to make his contract on this deal from a club duplicate. However, he could have doubled his chances of making his contract. Can you see how?

North stretched a touch with his vulnerable raise of one heart. However, the final contract was not unmakable.

West led the ten of spades and declarer saw there was really only one way to make his contract — he had to ruff three diamonds in dummy. Accordingly, he won the opening lead in hand and immediately led a diamond, losing to East’s nine. East shifted to a trump and, no matter what declarer did, there was now no way to land the contract — try it.

It was imperative to have West win the first diamond so that any trump shift would come up to the closed hand’s major tenace. Therefore, at trick two, declarer must lead the king of diamonds from hand. As the cards lie, the contract is now unbeatable. West must win and, if he shifts to a trump, he sacrifices his trump trick. Declarer comes to hand with the remaining high spade and ruffs diamonds and clubs in hand ending in dummy and, when the king of trumps drops under the ace, loses only two diamond tricks and a spade. Or if West does not return a trump, declarer can ruff three diamonds and loses only one trick in each suit except clubs.

2012 Tribune Media Services