bridge
bridge
Both vulnerable. West deals.
NORTH
xK Q 10 6 5
uK J 10 6 5
vK
w7 5
WEST EAST
x? 2 x? 7
uA 2 u8 7 4 3
vQ J 10 6 4 v8 7 2
wA J 6 4 wQ 9 3 2
SOUTH
xJ 9 4 3
uQ 9
vA 9 5 3
wK 10 8
The bidding:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1v 2v Pass 3x
Pass 4x Pass Pass
Pass
Opening lead: Queen of v
Cover the East and South hands before reading on.
Most bridge books fall into one of two categories: “educational” or “entertaining.” We think that, in his new book “Who Has the Queen?,” Frank Stewart has achieved both goals. Mike Lawrence selected this deal from the book for his foreword.
“North’s two-diamond bid is the Michaels Convention. A cue-bid of opener’s minor shows 5-5 in the majors and at least 9 high-card points. South’s three spades is invitational. North felt he had enough to bid game based on the good quality of his major-suit holdings.
“Dummy’s diamond king wins the first trick, East playing the deuce. Dummy leads the five of hearts to declarer’s queen, and West takes the ace. The key to the deal is what you do next. Do you lead clubs, hoping to take two winners there, or do you do something else?
“An inference will help you here and many times in the future. If declarer had two club losers, might he not come to the ace of spades to discard a club from dummy on his known ace of diamonds? If you think South would play that way, then you should ask yourself, why did he not do that?
“The answer, likely, is that he does not have the ace of spades. This fact gives you the news that your partner is likely to have the ace of spades. Lead a spade to partner, and he will return a club. This defense lets you set them one trick. Well done.”
2012 Tribune Media Services