bridge

bridge

Neither vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

x7

u6 2

vA K Q 9 7 2

wA 8 5 3

WEST EAST

x4 3 x8 6 5 2

uA K Q J 8 4 u9 5

v10 4 vJ 8 5 3

wK 10 2 wQ 7 6

SOUTH

xA K Q J 10 9

u10 7 3

v6

wJ 9 4

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1x 2u

3v Pass 4x Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of u

The winning line on this deal is so obvious it is not easy to spot. See if you can do better than declarer managed at the table.

The auction was normal enough. With a solid six-card suit facing a sound opening bid, four spades by South was a reasonable action.

West started with the king and ace of hearts, East echoing with the nine and five. The queen of hearts continuation was ruffed in dummy with the seven. This would have secured the contract had West held the eight of spades rather than East.

East overruffed with the eight and shifted to a club, the ten forcing the ace. Unfortunately, declarer had no quick way back to hand to draw trumps, so the only chance lay in an even diamond split. Since West held only two diamonds, the third-round diamond ruff was the setting trick.

Declarer started out with 10 tricks — six spades, three diamonds and the ace of clubs. Ruffing the third round of hearts reduced that number to nine because it removed the entry to the South hand to draw trumps!

All South had to do to assure the contract was to discard from the table on the third heart rather than ruff. That leaves the defenders helpless. Suppose West shifts to a club (as good as any). Declarer rises with the ace, draws all the trumps by leading dummy’s carefully preserved seven to get to hand, then takes three high diamonds to net the 10 tricks that were there from the beginning!

2012 Tribune Media Services