BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

x10 7 6 4

uA K 6 3

vJ 10 5 3 2

wVoid

WEST EAST

xJ 9 8 2 x5 3

u7 uQ J 5 2

v8 7 vA 9 4

wA K J 9 5 2 w7 6 4 3

SOUTH

xA K Q

u10 9 8 4

vK Q 6

wQ 10 8

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w 2w Dbl- 3w

3u4w 4u Dbl

All pass

-Negative, values with no clear bid

Opening lead: Ace of w

Another deal from Europe, this time featuring a match between teams from China and Greece. South was a Greek player known to us only as Kontomitros.

South ruffed the opening club lead in dummy and led a low diamond. He unblocked his queen when East rose with his ace. East shifted to a spade, won by South with the ace. The 10 of clubs was covered by the jack and ruffed in dummy. Declarer crossed back to his hand with the king of diamonds and led the queen of clubs, covered and ruffed with the king of hearts. South cashed dummy’s ace of hearts, crossed to his hand with the king of spades, and then led a diamond to dummy’s jack. This was the position:

NORTH

x10 7

uVoid

v10 5

wVoid

WEST EAST

xJ 9 xVoid

uVoid uQ J 5

vVoid vVoid

w9 5 w8

SOUTH

xQ

u10 9 8

vVoid

wVoid

With eight tricks in the bag, dummy’s 10 of diamonds was led and there was nothing East could do. Should East ruff high, South would shed his spade and make two more heart tricks on power. East chose to ruff low, but South over-ruffed and led the queen of spades. East ruffed with the jack, but the queen of hearts was the only trick left for the defense. Well done!

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