BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, East deals

NORTH

x10 6 5 2

uA J 7

vA K

wA K 8 4

WEST EAST

x9 8 7 4 xVoid

u2 uK Q 10 9 8 5 4

v7 4 vQ J 8 6 2

wQ J 9 7 3 2 w5

SOUTH

xA K Q J 3

u6 3

v10 9 5 3

w10 6

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

4u 4x Pass 6x

All pass

Opening lead: Two of u

South does not really have the values for his four-spade bid, but you have to be pretty brave when faced with a pre-emptive bid. North raised briskly to six, more worried about missing seven than any problems in six. There were problems in six!

South won the opening heart lead, an obvious singleton, with dummy’s ace. The best chance was to get two diamond ruffs in dummy. Declarer tested the spades first with a spade to the ace, noting East’s void. East was known to have six minor-suit cards and he couldn’t ruff anything, so South safely cashed both minor suit aces in dummy. When East followed to both, that meant that West held at least two cards in each minor, so both minor suit kings were cashed.

When East discarded on the second club, the full distribution was known. East started with 0-7-5-1 shape while West started with 4-1-2-6. South ruffed a club with his low trump and led the 10 of diamonds. West had to ruff in with the seven of spades or declarer would get his two diamond ruffs in dummy. That was overruffed with the 10 and South came back to his hand by ruffing a club with the jack of spades.

When South now cashed one high spade and led the nine of diamonds. West ruffed high and dummy shed a heart. West was down to only two clubs in his hand and had to give a ruff-sluff for South’s twelfth trick. Beautifully played!

Tribune Content Agency