BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

xQ 6 4

u8 7 5

vA K Q

wJ 10 5 2

WEST EAST

x10 9 8 2 x5

uA K J 3 2 u10 9 6 4

v4 3 v7 5 2

wA Q w9 8 7 6 4

SOUTH

xA K J 7 3

uQ

vJ 10 9 8 6

wK 3

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1w Pass 1x 2u

Dbl- Pass 4x All pass

-Exactly three spades

Opening lead: Ace of u

North used a popular modern convention, the ”Support Double.” It is used in this type of competitive auction to show exactly three-card support. A two-spade raise instead would have guaranteed four-card support.

Holding four trumps himself, West continued with a second high heart at trick two in an effort to weaken declarer’s trump holding. South ruffed this in his hand and was pleased with his contract. He had five trump tricks and five diamond tricks. The plan was to draw the trumps, presuming that they split 3-2, and then cash the three top diamonds in dummy. South could then lead the jack of clubs and try to guess the club position for an overtrick, if possible.

Declarer cashed the ace of spades and then led a low spade to dummy’s queen. The 4-1 split in trumps created a potential calamity. Should declarer draw all of West’s trumps, he would not be able to get back to his hand after cashing dummy’s high diamonds. South could try to cash the three high diamonds before drawing the trumps, but West was known to have started with four spades and five hearts. West following suit to all three diamonds was well against the odds.

South found an elegant solution. He cashed just two high diamonds in dummy, pleased to see that West couldn’t ruff. He then drew the outstanding trumps and simply discarded dummy’s last diamond on the fourth trump. He was safely in his hand to cash three high diamonds and claim his contract.

Tribune Content Agency