BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

xA Q J 8

uQ J

vA J 10 9 3

w9 5

WEST EAST

x5 xK 7 2

u8 6 3 uA 10 7 5 4

vQ 7 5 2 vVoid

wA Q J 3 2 wK 10 7 6 4

SOUTH

x10 9 6 4 3

uK 9 2

vK 8 6 4

w8

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1NT 2u- 2x 3u

3x 4u Pass Pass

4x Dbl All pass

-Hearts and a minor

Opening lead: Six of u

Many would open one diamond rather than one no trump with the North hand. The four-spade bid might also be questioned, but it was probably for the best. Four hearts could only be defeated with continuous diamond leads, and a diamond lead is certainly not indicated.

The opening heart lead went to the jack and ace. East shifted to a low club. West won with his jack and might have given his partner a diamond ruff, but that wasn’t a realistic play. West continued with a club, ruffed by declarer. South cashed the king of hearts and ruffed a heart in dummy, followed by the ace and queen of spades. This would force a ruff-sluff or a diamond lead from the defense if the spades split 2-2. East won with the king and led his remaining trump to dummy’s jack, leaving this position:

NORTH

xVoid

vVoid

vA J 10 9 3

wVoid

WEST EAST

xVoid xVoid

vVoid v10 7

vQ 7 5 2 vVoid

wQ w10 6 4

SOUTH

x10

vVoid

D-K 8 6 4

wVoid

South led the three of diamonds to his king and then led a diamond to dummy’s jack. There was no entry back to his hand for another finesse, so he ended up down one. This was poor play by declarer. He should have suspected the 4-0 diamond split and led the jack, 10, or nine to his king. He could then lead the eight of diamonds and hold the lead for another finesse.

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