BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, East deals

NORTH

xJ 5 3

uA J 8 7

v10 9 7

wQ 7 5

WEST EAST

xVoid xQ 10 9 8 7 6 2

uK 9 3 2 u5 4

vK Q J 6 4 3 2 v8

wK 9 wJ 10 6

SOUTH

xA K 4

uQ 10 6

vA 5

wA 8 4 3 2

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

2x 2NT Pass 3NT

All pass

Opening lead: King of v

Three no trump is a very normal contract on the North-South cards, but it doesn’t look possible to get to nine tricks. South African expert Craig Gower showed us how to do it.

Gower ducked the opening diamond lead, but won the diamond continuation perforce, noting that East discarded a spade on this trick. The queen of hearts was covered by the king and dummy’s ace, and Gower cashed the ace and king of spades to put some pressure on West. West discarded two low diamonds, very telling about his hand, and Gower worked out why he hadn’t discarded a heart or a club.

Gower cashed his 10 of hearts, and unerringly led a heart to dummy’s eight! Gower cashed the last heart and threw West in with a diamond. West could cash three diamond tricks, but he had to lead away from his king of clubs in the two-card ending. Gower’s fine play should have earned a nice gain for his team, but he didn’t get one. At the other table, ACBL Hall of Fame member David Berkowitz found the same road to nine tricks, and he was doubled!

As a defensive point, it’s worth noting that West would probably have defeated the contract had he discarded his low club and one diamond, rather than two diamonds. Declarer would need a crystal ball to not play for hearts to split 3-3. Oh well, we’ll never know.

Tribune Content Agency