BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. West deals.

NORTH

xA K Q 10

u8 5 4

vA K

wQ J 8 5

WEST EAST

x8 6 2 x9 5 3

uA K 9 3 2 u7 6

vQ J v10 9 8 4 2

wK 10 4 w9 3 2

SOUTH

xJ 7 4

uQ J 10

v7 6 5 3

wA 7 6

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1u Dbl Pass 1NT

Pass 3NT Pass Pass

Pass

Opening lead: Three of u

If you make a mistake at the table, you must expect to pay for it. But to be punished for taking a normal action seems grossly unfair.

West’s opening bid cannot be faulted, yet it cost the game! After North’s takeout double and South’s one-no-trump response, showing a heart stopper and fair values, North’s raise to game was textbook and closed the auction.

West led his fourth-best heart, won in the closed hand. There were eight tricks available, and a ninth could be established in clubs. However, the opening bid marked West with the king and, since West surely held four cashable hearts, declarer could not afford to surrender a trick to the king of clubs.

South found a neat solution to his dilemma. After winning the first trick with the ten of hearts, he cashed the ace and king of diamonds and dummy’s four spades, discarding a club from hand. West could not let go of a heart, so he too parted with a club.

Now declarer exited with a heart and the hand was over. West could win and cash out the hearts to complete the defensive book, but then had to lead away from the club king into declarer’s combined tenace making three-odd.

Whoever claimed that life was fair? For purists who might argue that West should have avoided this fate by cashing the ace-king of hearts first, there are all sorts of holdings that would invalidate that defense.

2013 Tribune Media Services