BRIDGE

BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

x10 7 3

uA 4

vA J 9 5 4 2

wQ 6

WEST EAST

xJ 8 xQ 6 4 2

u7 6 uQ 9 3 2

vK Q 10 7 3 v6

wJ 10 9 2 w8 7 5 3

SOUTH

xA K 9 5

uK J 10 8 5

v8

wA K 4

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass Pass 1u Pass

2v Pass 2x Pass

3u Pass 3NT Pass

5u Pass 6u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Jack of w

This deal is from a national pairs championship some years ago. The average result across the field was North-South plus 650. However...

Suppose you end up in six hearts and get an opening lead of the jack of clubs, as happened at some tables. Win in hand, lead a diamond to the ace, and ruff a diamond as East discards a club.

The play so far suggests that East has trump length. Continue by crossing to the queen of clubs and take the trump finesse. Cash the ace of clubs, discarding a spade from dummy. Clear the top spades and ruff a spade with the trump ace!

Return to hand with a diamond ruff and exit with your losing spade. No matter what the defenders do, you must win the last two tricks with the king and jack of trumps. Essentially, all this line needs is to find the queen of trumps with East.

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