BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, South deals.

NORTH

x8 6 3

uQ 8 4 2

vA 10 2

wA 10 8

WEST EAST

xA Q 4 2 xJ 10 9 5

u9 u10 5

vQ J 9 8 vK 7 5 3

wQ J 6 2 w7 5 4

SOUTH

xK 7

uA K J 7 6 3

v6 4

wK 9 3

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u Dbl 2NT- Pass

4u All pass

-Invitational raise in hearts, 3 or 4 trumps

Opening lead: Queen of v

Even when a contract appears hopeless, there is sometimes a play you can make that gives you some chance, even if that chance is a long shot. It’s better than giving up.

South was not happy when he saw the dummy. The best chance for the contract was to find East with the ace of spades. The auction, however, suggested that West held that card. South started by ducking the opening diamond lead. East could have overtaken and fired back a spade, but that would have set up a diamond finesse for the jack and provided a club discard for declarer. West continued diamonds and declarer won with dummy’s ace, ruffed a diamond, and then drew trumps in two rounds.

Rather than stake everything on a spade to the king, South cashed the ace and king of clubs, then exited with his last club, hoping for the best. His hope was that West started with five clubs, or both the queen and jack. Should that be the case, West would be end-played and forced to give South the king of spades or yield a ruff-sluff. That’s exactly what happened and South came home with his somewhat lucky contract.

Note that this play cost South nothing. Should the lucky lie of the club suit not save him, he still had a chance to lead a spade toward his king.

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