BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

x7 2

u7 3

vA Q J 10

wA 10 8 7 3

WEST EAST

xQ J 10 8 3 x9 6

uJ uA Q 9 6 5

vK 8 4 2 v6 3

w9 5 4 wK J 6 2

SOUTH

xA K 5 4

uK 10 8 4 2

v9 7 5

wQ

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v 1u Dbl- Pass

2w Pass 3NT All pass

-Negative, values with no clear bid

Opening lead: Queen of x

North opened his hand one diamond, as some like to do, in order to facilitate a rebid. This is not a bad approach with a strong four-card diamond suit and five clubs. There would be no good rebid after a major suit response to a one-club opening. Some experts take the same approach with a strong four-card heart suit and five diamonds.

West led a spade, despite his partner’s overcall in hearts, and declarer won with the ace. A diamond to the 10 was next, followed by a heart to the king, South noting the fall of the jack from West. A diamond was led to the jack and declarer crossed back to his hand with a spade to the king. A diamond to the queen was followed by the ace of diamonds and South had seven tricks. South could have cashed the ace of clubs for eight tricks, but he needed nine.

Declarer led dummy’s last heart, won by East with the queen. In this five-card end position, East was down to ace-nine-six of hearts and the king-jack of clubs. Knowing the heart position when his partner showed out, East tried leading the king of clubs. This pinned declarer’s queen, but South countered this beautifully by allowing the king to hold the trick. East had the Hobson’s choice of giving South two club tricks, two heart tricks, or one of each. Nicely played!

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