BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, West deals

NORTH

xA K Q 10 8

uK Q 8 6 2

vVoid

wJ 8 4

WEST EAST

xJ x9 7 5 4 3

u7 uA 10 9 5 4

vA K J 7 5 4 3 vQ

w10 6 3 2 wQ 7

SOUTH

x6 2

uJ 3

v10 9 8 6 2

wA K 9 5

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

3v 4v- Pass 4u

Pass Pass Dbl All pass

-Both majors, at least 5-5

Opening lead: Jack of x

Norwegian Tor Helness has long been considered one of the world’s best players. He was North in today’s deal. His son, Fredrik, was South. It’s likely that East would never have risked doubling the father, but he thought he could teach the son a lesson.

Fredrik won the opening spade lead with dummy’s ace, led a low heart to his jack and another back to dummy’s king. East won with the ace and led the queen of diamonds, forcing dummy to ruff. Declarer cashed the king of spades, confirming that West started with two major suit singletons. South continued by cashing the queen of spades and the queen of hearts. East was known to have started with, at most, two clubs, so the only play that made sense was to bang down the ace and king, felling the queen. That left this position:

NORTH

x10 8

u8

vVoid

wJ

WEST EAST

xVoid x9 7

uVoid u10 9

vA K vVoid

w10 6 wVoid

SOUTH

xVoid

uVoid

v10 9

w9 5

East was helpless when Fredrik now led a club to dummy’s jack. He could ruff and draw dummy’s last trump, but then he had to lead a spade into dummy’s 10-8. Dad taught him well!

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