BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

x9 8 4

uQ J 9 4

vK 8 4

wK 5 3

WEST EAST

x2 xK J 10 7 5 3

uA 10 6 5 u7 3 2

vJ 5 3 vA 10 9 6

wA 10 9 8 6 wVoid

SOUTH

xA Q 6

uK 8

vQ 7 2

wQ J 7 4 2

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass 2x 2NT Pass

3NT All pass

Opening lead: 10 of w

South was a little shy of the values promised by his two no trump overcall and North had a minimum raise. This resulted in a final contract that left lots for South to do if he was going to get to nine tricks.

The club suit was the most likely source of tricks for South, but that idea was ruined when East showed out on the opening club lead, discarding a spade. Declarer led the king of hearts out of his hand. West won with his ace and continued with another heart. South held his breath and inserted dummy’s nine. That was not clearly the correct play, but it was the right play today. When the nine held the trick, South saw a road to nine tricks. He needed East to hold both the king of spades and the ace of diamonds, and that was quite likely from the bidding and early play.

He led a spade to the queen for a successful finesse, and then a club to the king, which West had to duck as East shed a diamond. South cashed dummy’s hearts and East had trouble finding discards. East had to keep three diamonds or South could lead a diamond to the queen and then duck a diamond, so East parted with two more spades. Declarer led a diamond to his queen, cashed the ace of spades, and then put East on play with a spade. East could cash one more spade, but then he had to give dummy the king of diamonds. Well done!

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