BRIDGE

BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable, West deals

NORTH

xK J 8 3

u7 5

v9 7 4

wJ 10 9 2

WEST EAST

x4 x10 9 2

u9 4 uA K J 10 8 6 2

vA K J 10 8 5 v3

w8 6 4 3 w7 5

SOUTH

xA Q 7 6 5

uQ 3

vQ 6 2

wA K Q

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

3v Pass Pass 3NT

All pass

Opening lead: ?

Today’s deal was played at a tournament some 15 years ago. The auction above was duplicated at many tables. South’s three no trump bid was completely normal and virtually all good players would choose it in this position.

The key was West’s choice of lead. The queen of diamonds was certainly with South for his three-no-trump bid, so West was hoping to find his partner with an entry in order to lead a diamond back through declarer. There was nothing to go on, so it was a pure guess. The West players who chose to lead a black suit saw South quickly claim nine black-suit winners to make his contract.

Two inspired West players hit on the winning heart lead. East took the time to cash seven heart winners before finally leading a diamond back so that West could take his six winners in that suit. Two different South players, in a voluntarily bid three no trump contract, failed to take a single trick! One of them, sadly, was doubled, and suffered a loss of 2600 points!

We can just imagine the players comparing these results in a team game. Who do you think would feel worse -- the declarer who went down 2600 points or the defenders who allowed three no trump to make? Certainly it should be the defenders. Declarer did nothing wrong.

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