BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, South deals.

NORTH

x7 3

uA Q 10 8 6 4

vQ 4

w10 4 2

WEST EAST

x10 5 xJ 9

u5 3 2 uK J 9

v9 8 6 5 2 vJ 10 7 3

wK J 7 w9 6 5 3

SOUTH

xA K Q 8 6 4 2

u7

vA K

wA Q 8

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2w Pass 2u Pass

2x Pass 3u Pass

3x Pass 4x Pass

4NT Pass 5v Pass

6x All pass

Opening lead: Eight of v

An opening heart lead would have forced declarer to use his only entry to dummy much too early. West, however, cannot be faulted for his choice of a diamond. South won the opening lead in his hand perforce and drew trumps in two rounds. He continued with four more rounds of spades, shedding three hearts and a diamond from dummy. West discarded all four of his remaining diamonds while East discarded his three remaining diamonds and a low club.

South next cashed his other high diamond as everyone threw hearts. This was the position:

NORTH

xVoid

uA Q

vVoid

w10 4 2

WEST EAST

xVoid xVoid

u3 2 uK J

vVoid vVoid

wK J 7 w9 6 5

SOUTH

x6

u7

vVoid

wA Q 8

Declarer now led his last spade. West could not part with a club or South could just lead a low club, so he shed a heart. Reading the position perfectly, South discarded the queen of hearts from dummy. He led a heart to dummy’s ace and led a club to his eight, just covering the six from East. West won with his jack, but had to lead into declarer’s ace-queen at the end. Beautifully played!

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