BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

xA Q 9

u10 8 4 3

vK 2

w8 7 6 2

WEST EAST

xK 7 xJ 6 4 3

uQ J 7 2 uVoid

v7 6 3 vQ J 10 9 8 4

wK Q 10 4 w9 5 3

SOUTH

x10 8 5 2

uA K 9 6 5

vA 5

wA J

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass Pass 1u Pass

2w- 3v 4u All pass

-Drury -- heart raise with at least 10 dummy points

Opening lead: King of w

Jacek Pszczola, known as ”Pepsi” (can you pronounce his last name?), is originally from Poland but he has lived in the USA for several years. He won the World Open Pairs some years ago and has won many important titles since then. He was South in today’s deal.

Pepsi won the opening club lead with his ace. He was reasonably pleased with his contract until he cashed the ace of trumps and saw East show out. Time to get to work. He exited with the jack of clubs to West, who shifted to a diamond. Pepsi won with the king in dummy and ruffed a club. He crossed back to dummy with a spade to the queen and ruffed dummy’s last club. He cashed the ace of diamonds and then led a spade to West’s king and dummy’s ace. Pepsi exited with a spade to East’s jack, leaving this position:

NORTH

xVoid

u10 8 4

vVoid

wVoid

WEST EAST

xVoid x6

uQ J 7 uVoid

vVoid vJ 10

wVoid wVoid

SOUTH

x10

uK 9

vVoid

wVoid

It didn’t matter whether East led a spade or a diamond, as Pepsi would play his spade either way. West could ruff high, but he would then have to lead away from his other heart honor and give Pepsi the last two tricks.

Tribune Content Agency