bridge

bridge

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK 7 4

uK J 8

v9 8 7 2

wK 7 5

WEST EAST

x10 xJ 8 6 5 3 2

u9 5 3 2 uQ 10 7

vK 6 3 vA 5

wJ 9 8 6 2 wQ 10

SOUTH

xA Q 9

uA 6 4

vQ J 10 4

wA 4 3

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 3NT Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Six of w

You are declarer at a reasonable contract of three no trump, and you receive the lead of the six of clubs. You play low from dummy at trick one and East plays the queen. How do you intend to come to nine tricks?

That’s easy — three spades, two or three hearts, two diamonds and two clubs could score an overtrick.

Yes, but how do you intend playing the hand? Suppose you win the club and lead a diamond to start setting up two tricks in the suit. East wins and returns a club and, no matter how you continue, when West gains the lead he can cash three clubs to go with the two diamonds already banked — down one.

By now you should have gotten the hang of things — despite the fact that you have two stoppers in the suit, refuse to win the first trick. Win the club return and now start the diamonds. If West wins, he has no entry to his clubs. If he allows East to win, then West, who needs two entries to set up and run the clubs, has only one. Declarer scores nine tricks before the opponents can take five.

2012 Tribune Media Services