bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

x10 4

uA

vJ 9 4

wK Q J 7 6 5 3

WEST EAST

xK 9 7 3 2 xA J 8

u4 uQ 10 9 7 6 3 2

vA 10 6 3 2 vQ 8 7

w9 4 wVoid

SOUTH

xQ 6 5

uK J 8 5

vK 5

wA 10 8 2

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1u Pass 1x 2w

2u 3NT Pass Pass

4w Pass 4v 4NT

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: ?

This deal is from the Kaplan Blue Ribbon Pairs at the recent ACBL Fall North American Championship in Seattle. Look only at the West hand and the auction and decide: What do you lead against four no trump on the auction shown?

West decided that declarer had sure stoppers in the major suits and so decided that a surprise diamond lead was the way to go. Dummy’s nine was covered with the queen and won with the king, and declarer took seven club tricks, two hearts and a diamond to wrap up the contract with an overtrick.

At the other table a far less imaginative West decided that his partner’s four-club bid showed spade support in addition to heart length and came up with the stodgy lead of a low spade. East won with the ace and continued with the knave, pinning dummy’s ten, and the defenders wrapped up five spades and a diamond for 24.5 of a possible 25 matchpoints on the board.

2012 Tribune Media Services