bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xJ 7

u9 7

vK Q 8

wK Q 6 5 4 3

WEST EAST

xQ 10 8 4 3 xA 9 5 2

uQ J 10 u3

v7 v10 9 6 5 4 3 2

wJ 10 7 2 w9

SOUTH

xK 6

uA K 8 6 5 4 2

vA J

wA 8

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Pass 2u Pass

3w Pass 3u Pass

4u Pass 4NT Pass

5w Pass 6u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of u

Obvious is not synonymous with right. This deal is a classic example of how wrong it can be.

Since South’s seven-card suit headed by the two top honors can be deemed self-sufficient, a jump shift in hearts clearly was warranted. A natural auction thereafter stopped in a small slam when South discovered an ace was missing.

West clearly cannot be blamed for failing to lead a spade, which would have assured the contract’s defeat. The trump queen looked like a safe enough lead, and the way the play went, that proved to be the case.

Declarer won the first trick with the king and cashed the ace to learn he had a trump loser. To avoid losing a spade trick as well, declarer had to discard both spades from the closed hand, and one could be discarded on each of dummy’s minor suits. Since declarer had a combined eight clubs and only five diamonds, declarer made the obvious play of starting on the shorter suit. Unfortunately West ruffed the second diamond and shifted to a spade — down one.

“What terrible luck, partner,” moaned South. “You had the best of luck,” growled North. “It was the play that was awful!”

North was correct. Since South would need to find West with at least two clubs if the contract were to succeed, that suit should have been tackled first. When the 4-1 distribution shows up, declarer discards a spade on the third club and ruffs a club to set up the suit, West following all the while. Now declarer can lead the jack of diamonds to the queen and discard the king of spades on a good club. West can ruff, but that is the only trick for the defense.

2012 Tribune Media Services.