BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, West deals

NORTH

xA K 8 3

uA Q 7

v10 7 2

wJ 8 6

WEST EAST

x6 2 xQ J 10 7

u10 9 5 3 uK 8 6 4 2

vK 8 4 v3

wA K 9 2 wQ 10 5

SOUTH

x9 5 4

uJ

vA Q J 9 6 5

w7 4 3

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Pass 1NT Pass 2NT-

Pass 3w-- Pass 3v

All pass

-Transfer to diamonds

--Doesn’t like diamonds

Opening lead: Ace of w

North-South were using the weak no trump, 12-14. In addition to major-suit transfers, many modern players also transfer into the minor suits -- two spades to clubs and two no trump to diamonds. The bid between the transfer bid and the suit shown is used to send a positive or negative message about responder’s suit.

The defense started with the ace-king of clubs and a club to the queen. The trump shift went to the queen and king, and West shifted to a heart. West, who had passed as dealer, had already shown up with the ace-king of clubs and the king of diamonds. He couldn’t hold the king of hearts as well so South rose with dummy’s ace and started running his trumps, hoping something good would happen. This was the position after four rounds of trumps:

NORTH

xA K 8

uQ 7

vVoid

wVoid

WEST EAST

x6 2 xQ J 10

u10 9 5 uK 8

vVoid vVoid

wVoid wVoid

SOUTH

x9 5 4

uVoid

v6 5

wVoid

The six of diamonds saw a heart from West and a spade from North, but poor East was in a pickle. A spade discard and South would cash the ace-king of spades and ruff a heart back to his hand to cash the good spade. A heart and South would lead a spade to dummy and ruff a heart, felling the king. Dummy would then be high. Nicely played!

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