BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

xK 8 7 2

u7 6

v3

wA K Q 9 7 5

WEST EAST

xJ 4 xQ 10 6 5 3

uK J 10 9 u3

vA J 10 6 vQ 9 7 4 2

wJ 4 2 w8 6

SOUTH

xA 9

uA Q 8 5 4 2

vK 8 5

w10 3

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1u Pass 2w Pass

2u Pass 2x Pass

2NT Pass 3u Pass

4u All pass

Opening lead: Two of w

Great players seem to have a knack for doing the right thing at the right time. One of the best is Norway’s Geir Helgemo, South in today’s deal. Three no trump would have been easy, but North decided to show his heart fragment and send a warning about his weak diamond holding. Helgemo chose four hearts as the contract and then showed us how to make it despite this foul lie of the cards.

Helgemo won the opening club lead with dummy’s ace and led a diamond to his king. This lost to West’s ace and West continued clubs. South won with dummy’s king and then played the queen of clubs, ruffed by East with the three and over-ruffed with the four. A diamond ruff in dummy was followed by a spade to the ace and another diamond ruff.

Helgemo now cashed the king of spades and ruffed a spade in his hand, over-ruffed by West. South ruffed the diamond continuation from West and was now down to three cards -- the ace, queen, and eight of hearts. Showing the table presence that the great players seem to have in abundance, Helgemo led the eight of hearts. Bingo! West won this with the 10, but was forced to lead a heart back into declarer’s ace-queen to give Helgemo 10 tricks and his contract. Well done!

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