bridge
bridge
Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x7 5 3
uK J 9 8
vK J 10 4
wA 10
WEST EAST
xK Q 10 8 4 xA 6
u10 u7 6 5 3 2
v7 3 2 v6 5
w7 6 5 3 wQ J 9 8
SOUTH
xJ 9 2
uA Q 4
vA Q 9 8
wK 4 2
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1NT Pass 2w Pass
2v Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of x
Here’s another deal from Eddie Kantar’s award-winning series “Thinking Bridge,” designed for players who want to improve their game.
“East needs longer and stronger clubs to double the two-club bid [Stayman]. The lead-directing double at a low level typically is made with five or six cards headed by three honors.
“East overtakes the king of spades, unblocking the suit and returns a spade. East-West rattle off the first five spade tricks. It is pretty close to automatic to overtake the lead of the king at notrump with A-x unless dummy has something like J-x-x or 10-x-x-x, in which case overtaking sets up an undeserved trick in dummy.
“As an aside, East knows quite a bit about the deal from the bidding, the lead and dummy’s strength. From the bidding, East knows that South does not have four spades.
“From the lead, East knows that West has at least five spades [South can’t have four] headed by the K Q 10 or K Q J. If West’s spades are weaker, West leads fourth-best. From the strength of the dummy [12 high-card points] East knows the opponents have a combined 28 high-card points, give or take 1 point [East assigns South 16 HCP, a middle count, to make this calculation]. If the opponents have 28 HCP between them, East-West have 12. East has 7 HCP and he knows partner has the king-queen of spades for 5 HCP. That’s 12! Bidding, lead and strength calculations help map out the strategy.”
For more information about Kantar writings, go to www.kantarbridge.com.
2012 Tribune Media Services