bridge

bridge

Neither vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

x9 2

u4 3 2

vA K J 10 7

wA K 9

WEST EAST

xQ 10 8 3 x7 6

u10 9 8 7 uA K Q J 6

v6 5 v4 3 2

w4 3 2 wQ J 10

SOUTH

xA K J 5 4

u5

vQ 9 8

w8 7 6 5

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1u 1x Pass 2u

Pass 2x Pass 4x

Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Ten of u

At bridge, being a control freak has only pleasant connotations. Many deals hinge on control of the trump suit, or protecting stoppers in a side suit.

North had a difficult rebid to make once South responded to the forcing cue-bid with a spade rebid. North decided that the prime cards in the minors and the semi-solid diamonds compensated for the lack of a third spade, and jumped to game in the suit. That was an accurate assessment since five diamonds can be defeated with a trump lead.

West led the ten of hearts. East overtook with the jack and continued with a second heart, declarer ruffing. South crossed to the table with a diamond and led a spade to the jack, losing to the queen. West continued hearts and, when South ruffed, control of the hand passed to the defense. There was now no way to salvage the contract.

Once South ruffed a heart at trick two, there were 10 tricks available via the two top trumps, five diamonds and two clubs. Declarer could afford to lose two tricks to ruffs and still make the hand, since each time a defender ruffed an extra trump trick would develop for declarer. All this line needed was for trumps to be no worse than 4-2.

After ruffing the heart at trick two, declarer should cash the ace and king of trumps and, once both defenders have followed, abandon the suit and start running diamonds. West can ruff the third diamond, but no return harms declarer. Suppose West plays another heart. Declarer ruffs, crosses to dummy with a club to the king, and continues to play diamonds, discarding clubs from hand. One more trump trick is all the defenders can get.

2012 Tribune Media Services