bridge

bridge

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xA 5 4 3

uA 4 3 2

vK 7 5

wQ 3

WEST EAST

x10 8 7 6 xJ 2

uK Q 8 7 6 5 uJ 9

v6 vQ 10 9 8 3 2

w5 2 wA J 4

SOUTH

xK Q 9

u10

vA J 4

wK 10 9 8 7 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w 2u Dbl Pass

3w Pass 3u Pass

3x Pass 4x Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of u

Textbooks will tell you that the most flexible fit for a suit contract is 4-4. However, the late Alphonse “Sonny” Moyse, for many years Editor of Bridge World magazine, was a strong proponent of playing in a 4-3 major-suit fit when no trump was unsuitable and no eight-card fit in a major was available. This hand lends support to that theory.

West’s jump overcall was preemptive and North’s double was negative — for takeout rather than penalties. When South introduced spades after North’s heart cuebid, North knew it was a three-card suit since a four-card holding would have been shown a round earlier. Nevertheless, North chose the spade game for the final contract.

As the cards lie, three no trump would succeed since East has the ace of clubs. In four spades, South won the opening lead of the king of heart with the ace, came to hand with the king of spades and led a club to the queen, losing to the ace. The heart return was ruffed with the nine, dummy was entered with the king of diamonds and a club was led, declaring taking the finesse when East followed low. When that held, declarer cashed the queen of trumps, both defenders following, and started on clubs from the top. West ruffed and a heart was sluffed from the table. West then cashed a heart trick. Declarer ruffed the heart continuation in dummy, drew the outstanding trump and the ace of diamonds and winning clubs took the rest of the tricks, bringing declarer’s trick total to 10.

2012 Tribune Media Services