BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

xA J 8 7

u8 6 3

v8 6 5

wQ 6 3

WEST EAST

x9 6 4 3 xVoid

uJ 10 9 2 uA K Q

v3 2 vJ 10 9 7

wK J 7 w10 9 8 5 4 2

SOUTH

xK Q 10 5 2

u7 5 4

vA K Q 4

wA

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 2x Pass

4x All pass

Opening lead: Jack of u

The defense took the first three tricks in hearts before East shifted to the jack of diamonds. Declarer was happy with his contract. The queen of clubs was wasted, but the fourth trump was lovely. He would have no trouble as long as trumps split no worse than 3-1. This would be the simplest of ”dummy reversals,” ruffing two clubs in his hand for a total of six trump tricks, three diamonds and a club. Good times!

Like any good player, South took a moment to consider whether there was anything he could do should the trumps split 4-0. East with all four trumps would leave South’s fate up in the air. There would be luck involved, but the contract might come home. We’ll leave it to interested readers to work out what must happen. West with all four trumps was no problem, as declarer showed.

South cashed the ace of clubs and led the king of spades. When West followed, he overtook the king with dummy’s ace and ruffed a club with the queen of spades. A low spade to dummy’s seven allowed South to ruff the queen of clubs with his 10 of spades and lead his remaining low trump to dummy’s eight. He discarded his low diamond on the last trump and claimed the last two tricks with high diamonds. Nicely done!

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