BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

x10 5 3

uA J 9

vA K 3

wA Q 6 4

WEST EAST

x7 4 2 x6

uK 10 6 4 u8 7 5 3 2

v10 9 7 6 vQ 8 5 4

w10 2 wK J 7

SOUTH

xA K Q J 9 8

uQ

vJ 2

w9 8 5 3

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Pass 1x Pass

2NT Pass 4w* Pass

4NT Pass 6x Pass

Pass Pass

*Gerber, asking for aces

Opening lead: 10 of v

The English ladies team has been a force in European competitions for a long time. Nevena Senior, South in today’s deal, has been a member of that team for many years.

She won the opening diamond lead in dummy, led a trump to her hand, and led the queen of hearts. West would not have covered had she known the queen was singleton, but how could she know that? She covered and Senior won with the ace, cashed the jack, discarding a club, and ruffed the nine of hearts. She cashed one more trump before leading a diamond to the king and ruffing a diamond, leaving this position:

NORTH

x10

uVoid

vVoid

wA Q 6 4

WEST EAST

x7 xVoid

u10 u8

v9 vQ

w10 2 wK J 7

SOUTH

xK 9

uVoid

vVoid

w9 8 5

Senior led the eight of clubs and passed it to East’s jack. East had the unpleasant choice of leading a club into the board’s ace-queen or yielding a ruff-sluff. Either way, declarer’s club loser disappeared and she could draw the outstanding trump later.

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