Friday, March 22, 2013
BRIDGE
North-South vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
xA K Q
u9
vK Q 10 9 8
wA K 4 2
WEST EAST
xVoid xJ 8 2
uA 7 6 5 4 uK 8 3 2
v5 4 3 vJ 6 2
w10 9 8 6 5 wQ J 7
SOUTH
x10 9 7 6 5 4 3
uQ J 10
vA 7
w3
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1v Pass 1x Pass
3w Pass 3x Pass
4NT Pass 5v Pass
6x Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Ace of u
This is another deal from Eddie Kantar’s excellent series “Thinking Bridge,” designed for players eager to improve their game.
The lead of an ace at the five- or six-level does not guarantee the king. One frequently wants to lead an unsupported ace at these rarified levels. The king is normally led from the A K (x) at the five- or six-level.
North’s jump shift is a game force and four no trump is Blackwood. There is some confusion as to how to signal when partner leads an ace and a singleton in the suit pops up in dummy. Some play suit preference. However, when the possibility of a trump promotion exists — the case here — an encouraging card should be interpreted as a request to continue the suit.
If East plays the eight of hearts (standard signals), asking for a heart continuation, a second heart play from West defeats the contract. After dummy ruffs, East’s J 8 2 of trumps morphs into the setting trick. As an aside, the Blackwood response has marked South with the ace of diamonds, so a diamond shift by West can hardly be right.
2013 Tribune Media Services