BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither, vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

xK J 8 5

uK

vA Q J 8 4

wK 6 3

WEST EAST

x9 xQ 10

uQ J 10 9 8 6 5 uA 7 3

v7 6 2 vK 10 9 5 3

w9 4 wQ J 8

SOUTH

xA 7 6 4 3 2

u4 2

vVoid

wA 10 7 5 2

The bidding:

NORTHEASTSOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1x 3u

4x Pass 5w Pass

6x All pass

Opening lead: Queen of u

Not many would agree with North’s leap to four spades, and his jump to slam wouldn’t get much support either. Let’s see if South’s play can justify his partner’s bidding.

The opening heart lead went to East’s ace and East continued hearts, ruffed in dummy. Declarer thought that West was likely to hold the king of diamonds for his bid. As long as he held no more than three diamonds, South could ruff out the king and discard three clubs on the good diamonds. He started with two rounds of trump, ending in the dummy.

Rather than cashing the ace of diamonds first, South simply led a low diamond from dummy. East wasn’t expecting this play and his momentary hesitation revealed that he had the King of diamonds. East played low, South ruffed, and returned to dummy with a trump to the jack. Now declarer cashed the ace of diamonds and led the queen, which was covered by the king, and ruffed. Declarer ran his trumps, leaving this position with one trump to go:

NORTH

xVoid

uVoid

vJ 8

wK 6 3

WEST EAST

xVoid xVoid

uJ 10 9 uVoid

vVoid v10 9

w9 4 wQ J 8

SOUTH

x7

uVoid

vVoid

wA 10 7 2

The last spade was led, dummy shedding a low club, and East was finished. A diamond discard and both of dummy’s diamonds would cash. A club discard and all of South’s clubs would cash. South’s wonderful play had justified his partner’s bidding!

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