bridge

bridge

North-South vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

x10 8 4

u4

vA Q 4

wA J 9 8 3 2

WEST EAST

xQ 7 2 xK J 6 5 3

uQ 5 3 2 uA 9 8 6

vJ 9 8 2 vK 7 5

w10 4 w6

SOUTH

xA 9

uK J 10 7

v10 6 3

wK Q 7 5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Dbl 1u Pass

2w 2x 3S Dbl

Pass Pass 3NT Pass

Pass

Opening lead: Two of u

Those players sitting to your right and left might be your friends, but they are trying to do you harm. However, there are times when, much as they hate the idea, they have to help you. Consider this deal.

West led low in his partner’s suit, East rises with the king, and you duck. You win the spade continuation but the defender to your left unblocks the queen. Now you have to run eight more tricks because if you let the opponents in early they will bank three more spades to go with the two they will have already banked.

However, you do have an undisclosed weapon — your solid six-card minor. Don’t even consider the diamond finesse — the bidding strongly suggests that that can’t win. Instead, run your six-card club suit, discarding one card from each red suit from hand, and reducing everyone to five cards.

Look at poor East. He must hold king and one diamond and the ace of hearts, so has to come down to only two spades. Now you exit with a heart and he can take his two spades, but then must lead away from his king of diamonds into your major tenace.

2012 Tribune Media Services