BRIDGE

BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable, North deals.

NORTH

xK J

uJ 7

vK Q J 9 6 3 2

w9 2

WEST EAST

x4 x10 9 8 3

u10 8 6 uQ 9 2

vA 7 5 4 v8

wA K Q 4 3 wJ 10 8 7 6

SOUTH

xA Q 7 6 5 2

uA K 5 4 3

v10

w5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1x 2w

2v 4w 4u Pass

4x All pass

Opening lead: Queen of w

Chip Martel, from the San Francisco area, is a five-time world champion. He was South in today’s deal, en route to victory in this summer’s Spingold, perhaps the ACBL’s most prestigious event.

The defense started with two rounds of clubs. Martel ruffed the second club and led the 10 of diamonds, West hopped up with the ace and played a third round of clubs, trying to weaken Martel’s trump holding regardless of which hand Martel ruffed in. Martel ruffed with dummy’s jack and shed a low heart from his hand. The king of diamonds was led from dummy, ruffed by East with the eight and overruffed by Martel with the queen.

Martel cashed the ace and king of hearts before ruffing a heart with dummy’s king of spades. This was the position:

NORTH

xVoid

uVoid

vQ J 9 6 3

wVoid

WEST EAST

x4 x10 9 3

uVoid uVoid

v7 5 vVoid

wA 4 wJ 10

SOUTH

xA 7 6 5

u5

vVoid

wVoid

Martel led the queen of diamonds. East correctly discarded a club as Martel shed his good heart. The jack of diamonds saw East shed his last club while Martel ruffed low. Martel had a perfect count on the hand at this point and he exited with a low spade. It didn’t matter which defender won this trick, Martel had the last two tricks and his contract.

2016 Tribune Content Agency