BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, West deals.

NORTH

x10 4 3

uVoid

vK Q 10 2

wA 9 7 5 4 3

WEST EAST

xQ 9 6 x5

uA J 10 8 3 2 uK 5

v8 7 vA J 6 5 3

wK J wQ 10 8 6 2

SOUTH

xA K J 8 7 2

uQ 9 7 6 4

v9 4

wVoid

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1u Pass 3w- 3x

Pass 4x All pass

-Both minors

Opening lead: Eight of v

In tournament bridge, you occasionally run up against opponents who play weird methods, or have a pet convention that you’ve never seen before. Don’t panic at the uncertainty, but rather keep calm and try to use the information shown by their bid. New York expert Chris Willenken, sitting South, did just that in today’s deal.

The opening diamond lead went to the king and ace, and East shifted to a trump. Willenken had 10 tricks if the trumps split 2-2, but the auction made it look like East started with 1-2-5-5 distribution, meaning Willenken had a trump loser. South won with the ace of spades, ruffed a heart, then ruffed a low club back to his hand. Another heart was ruffed in dummy as the king fell from East. Another low club was ruffed in hand, followed by the king of spades. Declarer crossed back to dummy with the queen of diamonds, leaving this position:

NORTH

xVoid

uVoid

v10

wA 9 7 5

WEST EAST

xQ xVoid

uA J 10 8 uVoid

vVoid vJ 6

wVoid wQ 10 8

SOUTH

xJ 8

uQ 9 7

vVoid

wVoid

Willenken cashed the ace of clubs, shedding a heart. West correctly discarded a heart rather than ruffing. South ruffed a club back to his hand, West discarding another heart, and exited with his last trump. West won and had to give South the last trick with the queen of hearts.

2016 Tribune Content Agency