bridge

bridge

East-West vulnerable. West deals.

NORTH

xK J 8 4

uQ 10 4 3

vJ 6 2

w7 5

WEST EAST

x7 5 2 xQ 6

uA K 5 2 u8 7 6

v10 8 5 vA K 4 3

wA 6 4 w9 8 3 2

SOUTH

xA 10 9 3

uJ 9

vQ 9 7

wK Q J 10

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Pass Pass Pass 1w

Pass 1u Pass 1x

Pass 2x Pass Pass

Pass

Opening lead: King of u

Here’s another deal from Eddie Kantar’s award-winning series “Thinking Bridge,” designed for players who are eager to improve their game.

West would like to enter the fray, but his sordid distribution plus the vulnerability dictate otherwise. North’s raise to two spades shows the same strength as a direct raise from one spade to two spades; however, the raise of a secondary suit guarantees four-card support ... in blood.

West’s lead is questionable in dummy’s first-bid suit. An alternative is the five of diamonds — the unbid suit.

Once East discourages in hearts (all hearts lower than the six are visible), West shifts to a low diamond. East plays king-ace and a diamond to South’s queen.

South has five top losers: two hearts, two diamonds the ace of clubs. The idea is to locate the queen of spades. Both opponents are passed hands, and neither figures to have as many as 12 points. West has turned up with ace-king of hearts and East with the ace-king of diamonds. Each opponent has turned up with seven points. If South drives out the club ace, whoever takes the trick, in this case West, will have turned up with 11 points and cannot have the queen of spades. If West doesn’t have it, East must! Good thinking. Notice that by driving out a relatively unimportant honor, the ace of clubs, South was able to find out who had a very important honor, the queen of spades. It is called a “discovery play.”

2012 Tribune Media Services