bridge

bridge

Neither vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

x10 5

uQ 10 9 5

vK Q 10 9 6

wQ 9

WEST EAST

x8 7 6 3 2 xK Q 4

u8 uK 4 3

v7 3 2 v8 5

w8 6 4 2 wA J 10 7 5

SOUTH

xA J 9

uA J 7 6 2

vA J 4

wK 3

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1w Dbl Pass 2v

Pass 2u Pass 3u

Pass 4u Pass Pass

Pass

Opening lead: Four of w

On this hand from a qualifying round of the Blue Ribbon Pairs, North-South scored a top by winning all the tricks. At which trick do you think East-West had their last chance to win a trick?

This one is too easy — it had to be the first! West’s opening club lead was either third- or fifth-best. East decided it was from a three-card suit and elected to insert the ten in an effort to defeat the contract should West have an entry. He never had another opportunity.

Declarer won the king, crossed to dummy with the king of diamonds and took a winning heart finesse. Next came seven more red-suit tricks, ending in dummy, bringing about this end-position:

x10

u —

v6

wQ

x8 7 6 xK Q

u — u—

v — v —

w — wA

xA J

u —

v —

w3

Now the six of diamonds ruined East. The defender had to keep the ace of clubs to guard against the table’s queen, and so had to discard the queen of spades, and declarer’s ace-jack of spades took the last two tricks. Making all the tricks was a clear top for North-South.

2012 Tribune Media Services