BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, North deals.

NORTH

xK 9 3

uK Q 4 3

vQ 5

wK 7 4 2

WEST EAST

xQ 8 7 6 5 2 x10

u6 2 u10 5

v8 4 vA K 10 9 7 6

wJ 9 3 wA 10 8 6

SOUTH

xA J 4

uA J 9 8 7

vJ 3 2

wQ 5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w 1v 1u Pass

2u Pass 4u All pass

Opening lead: Eight of v

Declarer should always form an idea about his best line of play and then pursue that line. He must continue to pay attention because something might develop that will cause him to change his line of play to something else entirely, sometimes accompanied by a guarantee from the bank!

The defense started with three rounds of diamonds, ruffed by West and overruffed in dummy. South did not want to stake everything on the spade finesse, so he led a low club from dummy at trick four. He reasoned that East was more likely to hold the ace of clubs, and he could take advantage of this as long as East started with no more than three clubs. He was hoping to develop dummy’s king of clubs for a spade discard.

After his queen of clubs held the trick, South led another club and played low from dummy. West’s nine of clubs won this trick and he shifted to a trump. Declarer won this in his hand and led a trump to dummy’s king. A third club was led from dummy and ruffed by declarer.

This seemed like horrible luck when the ace of clubs still hadn’t appeared, but there was a glorious silver lining. East had shown up with six diamonds, four clubs, and two hearts. He could only hold one spade. South cashed the ace of spades and was delighted to see the 10 fall from East. South led a spade to dummy’s nine for a finesse that was guaranteed to win!

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