BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

xQ 4

uQ 7

vA J 6 5 2

wA Q J 3

WEST EAST

xK J 8 7 3 2 xA 6

uJ 6 u10 8 5 4 2

v10 8 7 3 v9 4

wK w7 5 4 2

SOUTH

x10 9 5

uA K 9 3

vK Q

w10 9 8 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1w 1x 2w Pass

2vPass 2x Dbl

Pass Pass 3w Pass

4u All pass

Opening lead: Seven of x

This auction came to us with all the explanations we have given you -- none. The deal is from the finals of the Australian Open Teams earlier this year. North-South were two experts from Poland. We’d love to ask for an explanation of some of these bids, but they’re back in Poland by now, and besides, we don’t speak Polish. Anyway, the play’s the thing.

The defense started with three rounds of spades, dummy ruffing the third with the seven of hearts and East over-ruffing with the eight. East exited with a heart to dummy’s queen. South led a diamond to his king and cashed the ace of hearts, noting the ominous fall of the jack from West. Declarer cashed the queen of diamonds and led a club toward dummy. When West’s king popped up, South was pretty sure that East’s original distribution was 2-5-2-4. He cashed the ace of diamonds, and discarded a club when East discarded a club. South kept leading diamonds hoping East would ruff. South could then over-ruff and draw the last trump, then take whatever tricks were remaining with high clubs. East discarded on every diamond, as did South. In the resulting two-card end position, dummy led a club and East’s trumps were easily picked up. Making four!

At the other table, North-South reached five diamonds. This contract was defeated when the defense started with three rounds of spades. Declarer couldn’t prevent the loss of a trump trick. Five clubs, anyone?

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