BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, West deals

NORTH

x5 4

uQ 5 3 2

v9 6 3 2

w8 6 4

WEST EAST

x10 8 x7 3 2

uA K J 8 u10 9 7 6 4

vK J 7 v10 8 5

wQ J 7 2 w9 3

SOUTH

xA K Q J 9 6

uVoid

vA Q 4

wA K 10 5

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1NT Pass 2v- 4x

All pass

-Transfer to hearts

Opening lead: Ace of u

Declarer can make the game look very simple when he has a good count on the hand. Sometimes that will be a count of the opponent’s distribution, sometimes a count of the missing high cards, and sometimes both. A good declarer is usually forced to rely on inferential counts, or partial counts. A perfect count is a blessing!

South ruffed the opening heart lead and took stock. The opponents were playing a 15-17 point no trump range, so West was likely to hold all of the missing points. Declarer drew trumps by cashing the ace, king, and queen, noting that West discarded the eight of hearts on the third spade. He then cashed the ace and king of clubs, hoping for a 3-3 split. When no honor fell under the ace or king, South was able to place West with an original holding of four clubs.

South continued with a third club to West. West cashed another club, but he had a problem as to what to do next. West didn’t want to lead a diamond, so he made the ”safe” play of the king of hearts. South, however, refused to ruff, simply discarding his low diamond. West, with only red cards remaining in his hand, had the choice of leading a diamond into the ace-queen or giving dummy the queen of hearts. Either way, South had 10 tricks and his contract.

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