BRIDGE

BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

xJ 10 9

uJ 10 6 4

v6

wA J 10 8 3

WEST EAST

x6 3 2 xA K Q 8 7 5 4

uK Q 9 3 u8 7

vQ 5 vJ

w7 5 4 2 wQ 9 6

SOUTH

xVoid

uA 5 2

vA K 10 9 8 7 4 3 2

wK

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1u 4x

4NT Pass 5v Pass

6v All pass

Opening lead: Two of x

Roy Welland is an American expert who relocated to Europe a few years ago and now represents Germany in international play. He was South, in today’s deal. Welland was no doubt hoping for a better heart holding in dummy when he drove to slam. He would have to make do with what he got.

Welland ruffed the opening spade lead and cashed six more rounds of trumps. He saw West discard three small clubs and a heart while East shed one heart and four low spades. Welland had a pretty good picture of the hand as he reached this position:

NORTH

xJ

uJ 10 6

vVoid

wA J

WEST EAST

x6 3 xA K

uK Q 9 u8

vVoid vVoid

w7 wQ 9 6

SOUTH

xVoid

uA 5 2

v4 3

wK

On the next trump, all three other hands discarded clubs. Welland led the king of clubs to dummy’s ace, and West was forced to discard a spade. A heart discard, instead, would have allowed Welland to set up a heart trick. Reading the position perfectly, Welland ruffed dummy’s last spade with his last trump, reducing West to three hearts. Welland exited beautifully with a low heart. West won with his queen, but had to lead a heart at trick 12 to give declarer his slam. A beauty!

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