BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, East deals.

NORTH

xA Q 8 3

uK 8 5 4

vJ 8 6

w6 2

WEST EAST

xJ 10 7 2 xK 9 6 5

uQ uA 9 3

v7 5 3 vQ 2

wK Q J 5 3 wA 9 7 4

SOUTH

x4

uJ 10 7 6 2

vA K 10 9 4

w10 8

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

1w 1u Dbl- 3w--

Pass 4u All pass

-Negative, values with no clear bid

--Invitational heart raise with four-card support

Opening lead: King of w

Did South overbid, or was he just being aggressive? The deal came up in a team game, where it pays to be aggressive, but it seems like a little too much to us. No one will criticize his bidding, however, if he brings it home.

East overtook the king of clubs lead with the ace and instantly fired back the two of diamonds. This looked like a singleton to South, who now thought that he had a diamond loser to go with two clubs and at least one heart. Desperate measures seemed called for, so South took the spade finesse at trick three in an effort to provide a discard for a club loser. Things went from bad to worse quickly as East won the king of spades and continued with the queen of diamonds.

South, who was beginning to regret that spade finesse, led the jack of hearts to the queen, king, and ace. East led a low club to his partner, who gave him a diamond ruff. East’s lovely defense had defeated the contract two tricks -- a contract that might have been made had declarer led a trump at trick three.

As often happens in bridge, virtue had to be its own reward for East, as a four-spade contract by East-West was allowed to make at the other table.

2016 Tribune Content Agency